tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34116260428717560902024-03-06T12:00:36.464-08:00Serene is my name, Not my life!Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.comBlogger1129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-1606925631557023882016-10-23T22:23:00.002-07:002016-10-23T22:30:46.509-07:00A Glimpse of Life through Facebook<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">Since I dropped from the blogging world, I have missed documenting the quirky, messy, awesome, hard, fabulous everyday life moments. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">I'm also not super active on social media other than to either like people's posts or ignore political rants.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">But since there is a solid year+ missing from this blog, I thought I'd skim through my Facebook feed and collect just a few memories that I had posted, all the way back to June of 2015 when I had last blogged.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">Well, until recently. Obviously. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">And I'm sorry, but they go from newest to oldest and I'm too lazy to go and switch them all around. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">So think backwards and you'll be just fine.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><b>It is remarkably painful to allow my kids to load the dishwasher how they want when they're doing the dishes. </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><b>This is something no one ever tells you about parenting. I feel like there should be a support group for this.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When your daughter begs you to perform reconstructive surgery. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>On a loofah. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDyJcZ-ecyqTjhAdLifHQLgxU3y6i6cl-4C4L1a7JkScJf55W630ZB4L4nEG38b02wLrWw1cXIh8XJG-vnhbGCSrvj8MW905wd8k2haaT60ZnncLX2p42Y8bRpJ-wgTaiN84N3q8fsIZd/s1600/981117_10154503832103899_4246735166213356256_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDyJcZ-ecyqTjhAdLifHQLgxU3y6i6cl-4C4L1a7JkScJf55W630ZB4L4nEG38b02wLrWw1cXIh8XJG-vnhbGCSrvj8MW905wd8k2haaT60ZnncLX2p42Y8bRpJ-wgTaiN84N3q8fsIZd/s400/981117_10154503832103899_4246735166213356256_o.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sometimes my kids leave me speechless.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pYvq-Hsl_r7hY8j9SHMFAI1js2mB6F2JUN9CEoxXqGK4LeklW3ofxG8LbSqNZO4i6F7aPl-eYBp842SfeF22BAD7mkpgStcHkqYCSB2CKXrLE_Qpq0sOQlNBC1GNZpY7MApVw1H0gUJW/s1600/13987366_10154395368688899_8663396624861037266_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pYvq-Hsl_r7hY8j9SHMFAI1js2mB6F2JUN9CEoxXqGK4LeklW3ofxG8LbSqNZO4i6F7aPl-eYBp842SfeF22BAD7mkpgStcHkqYCSB2CKXrLE_Qpq0sOQlNBC1GNZpY7MApVw1H0gUJW/s400/13987366_10154395368688899_8663396624861037266_o.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Truth: I am currently sitting inside my dirty laundry basket in my closet, hiding from my screaming kids. </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Don't tell anyone.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>That moment when your two-year old starts singing "whip nae nae" and you wonder when you lost control of your parenting.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Father's Day Gift!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintTrnSt4Ro911bkIN9lsJ49U4UjDfug2wnl5AUO7Tg8G6Et-BkI5MVmEeeTQdE2JHNkZS_qSkNYWShSlhuJOfteQTiq01Peo0vX9CIajBmHVb6Ta-jSX8IH2zxqKl9QJMiC7nh8ZUZb3Z/s1600/13442558_10154250758028899_6627548446482989477_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintTrnSt4Ro911bkIN9lsJ49U4UjDfug2wnl5AUO7Tg8G6Et-BkI5MVmEeeTQdE2JHNkZS_qSkNYWShSlhuJOfteQTiq01Peo0vX9CIajBmHVb6Ta-jSX8IH2zxqKl9QJMiC7nh8ZUZb3Z/s400/13442558_10154250758028899_6627548446482989477_o.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pizza at the Park</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>While sitting through Savannah's graduation ceremony tonight, a grouchy Claira tries to climb over Hubby's legs. She trips, knocking Jackson's OPEN water bottle out of his hands and It lands RIGHT between my legs. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Oh, in the meantime, unbeknownst to me, Jackson had dropped his chocolate cookie between our bodies, successfully melting his cookie all over my shirt.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The parenting struggle is real. So are the looks people give you when it legitimately looks like you peed your pants and spilled chocolate all over yourself. </span><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">parentingrocks</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="_5afx" style="cursor: pointer; direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">kidsarethebest</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>SOOOOO proud of this amazing daughter of mine. She was nominated to receive the Hope of America award at school. Love her so much. I can't believe I'll have a middle schooler! Gah!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7P2vj6Ht18KSioHHdNal6_DwJd-JYDCc7hXDm71WXNo9NcccEu5zg4sJTVhIuGtOVeP1nPTNiFUeG3xHcCskW_1MdqPvj_F_BOz0n9j4cT37Mpjb2ba4uoTJS9stWBUH-8l8Fp7TRLJT/s1600/13320719_10154205703713899_3470205244872944399_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7P2vj6Ht18KSioHHdNal6_DwJd-JYDCc7hXDm71WXNo9NcccEu5zg4sJTVhIuGtOVeP1nPTNiFUeG3xHcCskW_1MdqPvj_F_BOz0n9j4cT37Mpjb2ba4uoTJS9stWBUH-8l8Fp7TRLJT/s400/13320719_10154205703713899_3470205244872944399_o.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>He's had a long, long, *deep breath* looooong day of tantrum throwing. Being a toddler is hard work! </b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3PmV2pzQ9t8yXFVD8zlASPkpAJCN_J1LjPhSM2KHpO4nfjdNt5-CKOC59l8GHpHDOuxO9DSjGLVV0D2ESS8JH5jt0_B0MECNhTFDwa9H14idEmicz5sOpe7fMU-kFRJiNE8kPwj0LJpz/s1600/13265962_10154191870858899_4691813821598467666_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3PmV2pzQ9t8yXFVD8zlASPkpAJCN_J1LjPhSM2KHpO4nfjdNt5-CKOC59l8GHpHDOuxO9DSjGLVV0D2ESS8JH5jt0_B0MECNhTFDwa9H14idEmicz5sOpe7fMU-kFRJiNE8kPwj0LJpz/s400/13265962_10154191870858899_4691813821598467666_n.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHcEybxUidnVrz1AoCbll0IFgZXHxHem7BeB-yR5Ec8hfHfGp9HqupTBZZkVdL9jhYZzmjoVMdsDoxT2MSv0Kwr3_B7luUnQlk6VRcNxElKuJupiHNVNip5m7bqy-9MYwntLtuC7EFUsa/s1600/13310520_10154191870863899_3483221559015670253_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHcEybxUidnVrz1AoCbll0IFgZXHxHem7BeB-yR5Ec8hfHfGp9HqupTBZZkVdL9jhYZzmjoVMdsDoxT2MSv0Kwr3_B7luUnQlk6VRcNxElKuJupiHNVNip5m7bqy-9MYwntLtuC7EFUsa/s400/13310520_10154191870863899_3483221559015670253_n.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I made rolls today. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Kids: Are the missionaries coming over? Who are we feeding? Who are you taking them too?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Me: I just made them for us for dinner.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Kids: Really?? You never do that.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hubby walks in the door: Wow, what got into you today? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>For the love! I get it already!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Good to see my daughter is taking her Florence Nightingale project so seriously. Haha! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Savannah's joke at the dinner table: "I mustache you a question, but I'll shave it for later so I can mullet over."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This sparked a very intense discussion about mullets. Now all my kids are daring each other to get one. So if you spot any of my kids sporting the look, just know I did NOT condone it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jacob: Mom? Next year for fourth grade, can I be homeschooled and learn... *sweeps hand through air* the ninja arts? They have to be really smart so I would still learn math and science, but then YOU could teach me several languages! And I can study sword fighting and how to use nunchucks.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Me:....... I barely speak english.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My daughter made me a chore chart. Still trying to decide if this is a good or bad indication of my life. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Family Night Smoothies!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">*clears throat, taps mic*</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Happy Easter from this worst-mom-ever who didn't do a dang thing this year. Not even candy.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">I know. I know. *hangs head in shame*</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">WAIT! Not true. We busted out the sparkling cider. There was enough for everyone to have a small cup. </span></b></span></div>
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So yay! There's that. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">~~~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">At my niece's baptism in Utah we start singing the third verse to "I am a Child of God."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Claira (age 4) gives an exasperated huff as she throws up her hands. "How many childs of God are there!?"</span></div>
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~~~</div>
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11-year old daughter: I've had too much fudge in my life.</div>
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Me: Where did I go wrong with you?</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>It's been a while since we've had an evening like this. <span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v5/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hubby on the phone in the background: Thanks, president.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jacob (age 8): Mom? Is dad talking to Barak Obama?</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Me: *laughing* What?</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>
<span style="background-color: white;"></span></b></span></span>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Jacob: Well, he said "president".</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">
</span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></b></span></span>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Me: Um, no.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Jacob: Oh........ Thomas S. Monson?</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_ql" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; line-height: 1.38; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When the older kids help Jack-Jack get ready for the day.</b></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_ql" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; line-height: 1.38; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">That phone call you get from the school counselor because your boys got into a fight with each other. </span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span>
<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Over a book. </span><span class="_5afx" style="cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">addictedtoreadingproblems</span></span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When you're low on groceries....</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~ </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>In case you didn't know, dragons read. And eat apples, core and all.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Jackson (age two): *turns on daddy's electric razor*</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Claira (age four): Mommy! Jackson turned on the shaver and he's shaving his cheeks! And his other parts!</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Me: *watching him "shave" his "other parts" (chin), and laughing*</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Claira: Jackson, that will shave your skin right off! Put it away before your face is gone! It will kill you!</span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My children have failed to grasp the concept of winter, and are insistant that they save some of it to "eat later".</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Your two-year old might be OCD if: You line up all of his tractors only to have him scream, storm over, and turn around specific ones so they face the other direction, then holds up a hand to you and scowls so you won't touch them.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I didn't get a group picture of all the kids this Halloween. <span class="_47e3" title="frown emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v5/f6a/2/16/1f641.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="1" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px;">: </span></span>But here is one of Savannah.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Actual Dinner Table Conversation: </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hubby: What is mom's super hero name?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jacob: Umm.... Thunder Thighs!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Me:........................</b></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hubby: Jacob, I don't think that means what you think it means.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Family Night. (featuring Jacob, and his arm muscle wanna-be)</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">"Macarena" came on the radio and I shamelessly started car-dancing the moves. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">Then I glanced over to Savannah. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">She had the most terrified look on her face....</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;" title="heart emoticon">
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hubby to Savannah. "Hey there, trouble."</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">Savannah: "I'm not trouble. I was born from the womb of trouble!"</span></span></b></span></div>
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</span><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">Hubby: "Hahahaha!"</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Savannah: "Wait, that doesn't make any sense."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Hubby still laughing. "No, that makes perfect sense."</span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jackson (21 months) Emama! *points to plate of watermelon*</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">Me: *holds up small piece*</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;">Jackson: No! *scowls and points to watermelon*</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Me: *holds up bigger piece*</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Jackson: NO! *scowls deeper and points to watermelon*</span></div>
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Me: *holds up biggest piece*</div>
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Jackson: *huge smile, smug chuckle, takes piece and with hand on hip, walks off to show the other kids his watermelon*</div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jacob to me: Mom, you could totally be a supermodel if you didn't love pizza so much.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Me to Jacob: ...................................................................</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>How my kids spent their afternoon. Taking turns tying each other to a chair, then having to escape the chair. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>You might be a mom when: you scarf down food with one hand while simultaneously feeding someone with the other who has recently decided only mom can feed him. And you're glad you didn't bother to remove your apron. And you're the last two eating at the table.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODiPOyEfpwkmIdBYjh0ZySZgGA0Nnkha9c0ZmgIo0j1vkkiVVGTQEA925IXsaPuT8WHfuwNFIS1Z0WontxgFAyZVNN5hkdzA61ofYW4ehgFxd4_ilkZy-P1S_6DZB99BfUKcWnDAfLFFh/s1600/11056084_10153571471518899_4250300072101793667_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODiPOyEfpwkmIdBYjh0ZySZgGA0Nnkha9c0ZmgIo0j1vkkiVVGTQEA925IXsaPuT8WHfuwNFIS1Z0WontxgFAyZVNN5hkdzA61ofYW4ehgFxd4_ilkZy-P1S_6DZB99BfUKcWnDAfLFFh/s400/11056084_10153571471518899_4250300072101793667_o.jpg" width="328" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Me: "Claira, you can't eat dinner with us until you stop screaming and speaking rudely."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Claira: "If you don't let me eat, then I will die! *folds arms, raises eyebrows* I will tell Jesus on you."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Four-year olds are so... fun.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What happens when your toddler won't let you finish mowing the LAST BIT of yard in peace...</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">That moment when the tooth fairy realizes she's getting old by the way her knees are popping so loudly when she tries to "sneak" into the child's room, that the the child wakes up.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">~~~</span></span></b></span></div>
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There are days when getting the kids ready to go somewhere is as easy as wrestling a gator with one hand tied behind my back, while blindfolded, while a pack of angry monkeys are throwing bananas at me... while going down Niagara Falls... in a tea cup.<br />
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Just saying'.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">My favorite picture from Independence Day weekend. </span><span class="_47e3" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v5/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jacob just brought me my eighth pink otter pop without being asked. I have trained him well. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">~~~</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Haha! This face. <span class="_47e3" style="background-color: transparent;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" aria-hidden="1" class="img" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v5/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /> F</span>rozen blueberries. Yum! (At least it's not a marker this time!)</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNngzZ1_0_hgdiJvB6HHESmI9AsEy4P_fEFjj3zcp-WpVaCPHl8v9PERQ3tNC_K-43PP9fyTbmrrRvcZtolELDkpw7dCEkVUW-BULlywEjC7l5j-fGDETLxzwFkKATmu64QQfAAGRnuunE/s1600/10927865_10153432954403899_2137948594328561278_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNngzZ1_0_hgdiJvB6HHESmI9AsEy4P_fEFjj3zcp-WpVaCPHl8v9PERQ3tNC_K-43PP9fyTbmrrRvcZtolELDkpw7dCEkVUW-BULlywEjC7l5j-fGDETLxzwFkKATmu64QQfAAGRnuunE/s400/10927865_10153432954403899_2137948594328561278_o.jpg" width="298" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">That moment when your 19-month old is playfully feeding you watermelon while you read... until you realize the piece you just accepted from his chubby fingers and popped into your mouth was the same one that had been in his mouth moments earlier.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>~~~</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Savannah walks into the laundry room and points to the air freshener up on the shelf. </b></span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>"Can I borrow that, mom? Jacob's toots could scare away the devil himself."</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">
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<br /></div>
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~~~~</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">And there you have a few </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">Facebook-</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;">worthy moments from our lives.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~Serene </span></span></div>
</span></div>
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Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-52172347832566143242016-10-03T01:00:00.000-07:002016-10-03T01:00:21.928-07:00Boys VS Girls. The Winner Is....<br />
<br />
<div>
To all my friends who worked so diligently to try and convince us not to find out what our little tiebreaker baby is going to be, who thought we should wait until delivery and be surprised...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sorry. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But not sorry. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I LIKE being surprised at 20 weeks. I've never had the slightest bit of desire to wait until the end. And especially not this time. I'm ready to plan and declutter!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Ever since I've felt that there was still one more child I've suspected what it would be. Truth be told if I'd been wrong I would have been shocked.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I was right! Ha! Boom baby! <i>*insert awkward image of me doing Kuzco's dance from Emperor's New Groove*</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Okay, bad mental image.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, who won the tug-a-war?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiwW7DbR1oRh8u7bvdTIZlLklna12H1pU-lgVII5fI5MXZb3vJDRD5tpmyv7KAB4EgAGRHKqXd9NQVBJu6wEuqG9Ig2Jl5S8YZe_ZYNwy_zTkZbjgmEwZ1i17mXUg3bFLeSgn09hpTAwO/s1600/Announcement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiwW7DbR1oRh8u7bvdTIZlLklna12H1pU-lgVII5fI5MXZb3vJDRD5tpmyv7KAB4EgAGRHKqXd9NQVBJu6wEuqG9Ig2Jl5S8YZe_ZYNwy_zTkZbjgmEwZ1i17mXUg3bFLeSgn09hpTAwO/s640/Announcement.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>*pushes enter a few times to built suspense*</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>*pushes enter a few more times to annoy everyone scrolling down*</i> </div>
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<div>
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<div>
TA-DA!</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoeUe_k3QUgBtGK0fXRNViCJPZvlzdvdDpxzAqxWYI6NmeLtlk5xxwo-DV2EYlaRHfKzZXr_Ad00HGr7mCySCBWgcQBOIlHc01140kutjQSkcDK_rHim4W4uFiTUGL4FTMKqdD4c7rVfd/s1600/DSC_0526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoeUe_k3QUgBtGK0fXRNViCJPZvlzdvdDpxzAqxWYI6NmeLtlk5xxwo-DV2EYlaRHfKzZXr_Ad00HGr7mCySCBWgcQBOIlHc01140kutjQSkcDK_rHim4W4uFiTUGL4FTMKqdD4c7rVfd/s640/DSC_0526.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So did you guess right?<br />
<br />
The kids were all super excited, though the boys were a bit bummed they would now be "outnumbered" as Jacob put it.<br />
<br />
<br />
This new little girl was literally doing summersaults. The poor ultrasound tech struggled to capture a clear shot.<br />
<br />
See? One minute she was facing up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVI0n0tJJ-VK_AxamZm6jU3xTX3yMcaVgy48Xo0qGIYVh38YeTK0TznwA3HS6w4fcJzhSpGjpgs5KqzvIh-7UTB2sOoKMKhQLNswTCr7a6EpVzgnvlFTdoLN-8ODuDmMKotCzQglPYpx1G/s1600/Photo+on+10-2-16+at+8.46+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVI0n0tJJ-VK_AxamZm6jU3xTX3yMcaVgy48Xo0qGIYVh38YeTK0TznwA3HS6w4fcJzhSpGjpgs5KqzvIh-7UTB2sOoKMKhQLNswTCr7a6EpVzgnvlFTdoLN-8ODuDmMKotCzQglPYpx1G/s1600/Photo+on+10-2-16+at+8.46+PM.jpg" /></a></div>
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The next she was facing down. Her craziness is already showing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_scK1W7UxNWIP7G32RUxnaxKEK_uGNa_MbwMy8hytUL76WZ0jnd48n6amsTwIXzE5pCxpXVToQlvhfTJCrBFj0OhyDaNmFLDEvGadLhw8ufvUUTgZeT6q_YtcfjeS70rls82RWdUhxj8/s1600/Photo+on+10-2-16+at+8.47+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_scK1W7UxNWIP7G32RUxnaxKEK_uGNa_MbwMy8hytUL76WZ0jnd48n6amsTwIXzE5pCxpXVToQlvhfTJCrBFj0OhyDaNmFLDEvGadLhw8ufvUUTgZeT6q_YtcfjeS70rls82RWdUhxj8/s1600/Photo+on+10-2-16+at+8.47+PM.jpg" /></a></div>
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Guess she's going to fit in around here just fine.</div>
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~Serene</div>
<div>
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<div>
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Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-42581378722283530012016-09-18T20:22:00.001-07:002016-09-19T06:31:12.616-07:00Are You Done Yet?<br />
Guys, guys, guys! I am blogging... again!<br />
<br />
*<i>rewards self with chocolate</i>*<br />
<br />
What? I figure if the reward system works on kids then it should totally work on me, right? I'm a simple soul like that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, at the end of my last post I mentioned I had one more family announcement to make. Some of you already know, others have guessed, some really don't care.<br />
<br />
No chocolate for those people.<br />
<br />
But in case you've placed your bets and are waiting to see if you're correct, here ya go.<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctBitFl3kmcy7_c_Q1-j9TSa6J-9VMGiF3iKo0EDcPHsUcz52ZCT39iXgqnsU2omCPhryVvq2kDuIoasqanR9dYvAxOkkWnY9oJpXJReAf4aRGdvjAbU50iimKGnxEtEi8NgRkeAqxH_m/s1600/13613324_10154309999068899_5630213654394258418_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctBitFl3kmcy7_c_Q1-j9TSa6J-9VMGiF3iKo0EDcPHsUcz52ZCT39iXgqnsU2omCPhryVvq2kDuIoasqanR9dYvAxOkkWnY9oJpXJReAf4aRGdvjAbU50iimKGnxEtEi8NgRkeAqxH_m/s640/13613324_10154309999068899_5630213654394258418_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
From the time Hubby and I had two children, one boy and one girl, people have asked the age-old question, "Are you done?" I suppose people can't help it. We're curious in nature.<br />
<br />
When we had four kids, two boys and two girls, our family was OFTEN referred to as "the perfect family". People were <i>horrified</i> when we had the audacity to mess that up by having a fifth.<br />
<br />
Then we had six. Three boys and three girls. At this point I just get arched eyebrows and an unsure, "you look too young to have six kids."<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not going to lie. I like having an even split of boys and girls. I do. I'm just crazy enough to enjoy the symmetry.<br />
<br />
But it felt like someone was missing, like we weren't complete.<br />
<br />
So here we are, expecting the caboose to our crew.<br />
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pqupGqV9e1nJmiVSYz9n6JCDJLpc0yXjmXEnMDfelmKni_6eoW5gCfRLzxw55BjFk6bsW7-vco2DxemMfMdXt-V2MWVxf_kiuSj19CIvz9eLjk7K30IiI3UIbvpPVKa5FrmIdP4LmJUc/s1600/Announcement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pqupGqV9e1nJmiVSYz9n6JCDJLpc0yXjmXEnMDfelmKni_6eoW5gCfRLzxw55BjFk6bsW7-vco2DxemMfMdXt-V2MWVxf_kiuSj19CIvz9eLjk7K30IiI3UIbvpPVKa5FrmIdP4LmJUc/s640/Announcement.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm <i>not </i>crazy enough to try for four of each.<br />
<br />
I considered doing something really fun to announce to Hubby I was pregnant, being our last and all. But in the end I peed on the stick, capped the end with the lid, (I'm not a barbarian) then woke up Hubby by tapping him on the shoulder with it, holding it in front of his bleary eyes and saying, "Congrats. You're going to be a dad."<br />
<br />
I think he nodded.<br />
<br />
We may have done this a few times. Haha!<br />
<br />
We were going to try and wait for a while before telling anyone, but I was so sick the kids were getting worried. So on the 4th of July while driving to the parade, we told them.<br />
<br />
They cheered. Then Jacob yelled above the noise, "Quick! Everyone close their eyes and pray mom's having twins!"<br />
<br />
HAAAAAAAA! I may have glared at him. Needless to say, they were super bummed when we told them there's only one.<br />
<br />
I've thrown up more with this pregnancy than with any of this others but it's not extreme like it is for some women so I'll count my blessing. I've also been far, far sicker at night than in the morning this time around which has actually been a bit of a blessing. I've been able to continue exercising and it makes getting all the kids up and off to school doable.<br />
<br />
Bedtime, well..... that's another matter altogether. Let's just not talk it.<br />
<br />
I did start showing pretty darn quick though. Another reason why it was useless to try and keep it quiet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajSVNKSXcNUTaPtZVwunSCHVqEFzztgNVQgLGchuuvAfTJhdopJQibZkSg2qXQsDlFeL8l459SgnYd0UZgB6eyzeayYKcjYgxhF-KQRGKatuCGFQ5UQEOger4qBf9LSj-dNmRnoYIjviZ/s1600/13913917_10154401715523899_3815950095983497251_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajSVNKSXcNUTaPtZVwunSCHVqEFzztgNVQgLGchuuvAfTJhdopJQibZkSg2qXQsDlFeL8l459SgnYd0UZgB6eyzeayYKcjYgxhF-KQRGKatuCGFQ5UQEOger4qBf9LSj-dNmRnoYIjviZ/s640/13913917_10154401715523899_3815950095983497251_o.jpg" width="506" /></a></div>
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Here's one from a week ago at 17 weeks.</div>
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Sorry its a gross bathroom selfie. I took it for my sisters. But hey, here I am sharing it with you. Toilet in the background and all.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4F9CfSwRmDHy624xFSLciM4WrZho8lhjiy4EybMPNgbszZWnGtJPpSIWflQqt-_7moXwNpi4BH8Ox97u5iTam4L4f7YKYfYBpMZJzLzFnQyAVPH2zFsFERtCYZF8X85beKzDEIyZvUui/s1600/14249324_10154488863893899_140712298_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4F9CfSwRmDHy624xFSLciM4WrZho8lhjiy4EybMPNgbszZWnGtJPpSIWflQqt-_7moXwNpi4BH8Ox97u5iTam4L4f7YKYfYBpMZJzLzFnQyAVPH2zFsFERtCYZF8X85beKzDEIyZvUui/s640/14249324_10154488863893899_140712298_n.jpg" width="363" /></a></div>
<br />
We find out what our little tie-breaker is at the end of the month. Our family really is thrilled and excited, even though I am grouchy and hormonal.<br />
<br />
And I crave steak.<br />
<br />
All the time.<br />
<br />
Ooh! Steak. *<i>rummages through freezer</i>*<br />
<br />
<br />
~Serene<br />
<br />
<br />Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-23344801095676644952016-09-11T21:55:00.000-07:002016-09-11T22:00:02.627-07:00I Blogged! Does This Earn Me Chocolate?<br />
Whoa. This place is dusty. Does this old thing even work anymore?<br />
<br />
*flips light switch* Hmm.... *kicks blog, lights flicker on* Ah ha! So its not dead yet!<br />
<br />
*sits down at keyboard and stares at screen* I'm not even sure I remember how to do this. What do I say? What do I post?? Do people even read blogs anymore???<br />
<br />
Okay well, I know some do. A few of you have reached out to me via email or Facebook over the last few months expressing how much you missed my silly blog and asking if I was ever going to update it. Seriously, you guys are the bestest. *double heart pound*<br />
<br />
Truth be told I'm not sure my blog will ever be what it use to be, and part of me's unsure how to start again. But, since an update on our family was requested, I guess I'll start there.<br />
<br />
Assuming it doesn't bore you to death.<br />
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<br />
The pictures in this post were all taken LAST FALL. But they're the most recent family pics I have. So ya. We're all a year older now.<br />
<br />
I have more grey hairs. *sniffle* It's cool. It's cool.<br />
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<br />
JACK-JACK<br />
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<br />
Ah, this kid. A rambunctious two-year old with the most sensitive of hearts. All I have to do is talk to him in a sharp tone and he melts into a puddle of tears.<br />
He is the destroyer of all clean things.<br />
A lover of otter-pops, cars, and animals.<br />
My favorite thing he says is "hooty" for the word," huge".<br />
"I want a hooty drink. That's a hooty doggy. You a hooty mommy."<br />
<br />
Yes, well, thank you for that.<br />
<br />
As far as any after effects from his <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html">craniosynostosis surgery</a> or time in the helmet, I can say that there haven't been any. He's healthy and thriving. The mess he left in the kitchen is proof of that.<br />
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CLAIRA-MONSTER<br />
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This child. No no. This spitfire. This firecracker. This high-spirited, volatile temperament-child is a joy and a challenge. She doesn't care who you are or how much bigger you are than her, you tick her off and she will TAKE YOU DOWN.<br />
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Think I'm joking? Go ahead, lean in closer. *whispers* I dare you.<br />
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But she is whip-smart and is a blast to hang out with, especially when she's happy. She definitely fills our house with spice. Allllllllllll kinds of spice. She's only five, but boy oh boy, she's got the angry glare down to an art.<br />
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<br />
ALAYNA-GIRL<br />
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This one is all hormones these days. Happy and goofy-giggling one moment, stomping her foot and storming away the next. Not sure if she's seven or seventeen. It's a toss-up at times.<br />
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But this outdoor loving, sports playing, wanna be a big kid, not afraid to play with the boys, give me all your cookies, yet the girliest of girls is a sweetheart that everyone loves.<br />
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Except Claira. Sometimes. They share a room. It's inevitable that toys gets mixed up. WWIII is real.<br />
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She also has had no long term effects from her <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html">craniosynostosis</a> that we know of.<br />
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<br />
JACOB (aka CLOWN BOY)<br />
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<br />
Ah, Jacob. Such a smart-alec. Such a jokester. Such a class clown. He thinks he's hilarious. And he is. Most of the time. Pretty sure he's his own biggest fan.<br />
<br />
This fun-loving nine-year old is either running around like a crazy person full of life and energy, or he's hunkered down with a book. For hours. He is a huge fantasy reader. Loves everything about dragons and mythical creatures. It's getting harder to find clean books for him to devour.<br />
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He can be pretty mouthy at times, but he's also the one who always tells me he loves me and gives me big hugs. You just can't beat that.<br />
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<br />
JOSEPH-MAN<br />
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This boy. If any of my children have tested me to the limits, its him. With all of his emotional and behavioral struggles, he's become hardest on himself. It has taken much over the last year for Hubby and I to understand this ten-year old boy. But we're getting there.<br />
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He has a heart of gold and a mind that thinks outside the box. My favorite thing is to watch him tell a story. It's vibrant, full of color, detail, and insight. He's clever, this one. He's also a mega-reader who keeps a stack of books under his bed, right next to Jacob's.<br />
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He still takes penicillin every day to avoid catching the strep that caused his <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/02/joseph-and-choreoathetosis.html">choreoathetosis</a> For a long time after the event you could still see his joints, especially his fingers, lock up when he was stressed or upset. But that's finally gone. So other than the penicillin, he's back to normal.<br />
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SAVANNAH-BANANA<br />
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This girl is twelve. TWELVE! How did this happen? I just... I can't... I mean... twelve. *shakes head*<br />
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As the resident tweenager she's discovering how much she enjoys expressing her... "opinions". Being the oldest she can be a bit bossy with the other kids, but she is also a tremendous help. I don't know what I'd do without her, honestly.<br />
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Her love lies in music, art, and reading. For reals. She's WORSE than the boys when it comes to reading. I am quickly running out of clean YA books for her to devour.<br />
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But she is a unique soul who's not afraid of special-needs kids at school, or the old grandpa in the corner, or the stinky toddler on the floor. I'm excited to see where life takes her.<br />
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Here is the Back-to-School photo I posted on Facebook. Love these little monkeys.<br />
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HUBBY<br />
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Hubby doesn't like me to talk about him too much on the blog so I'll keep it brief. He stays busy between his calling as <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/bishop?lang=eng">bishop</a> of our church congregation and manager of a company.<br />
<br />
Between work, travel, and his church calling, he's not home much so I often have the chocolate stash all to myself. Mwahahaha! I mean, I have sole ownership of the remote control. Er, I mean, cereal for dinner EVERY NIGHT!<br />
<br />
*cough* I admit to nothing.<br />
<br />
<br />
ME, MYSELF, AND I<br />
<br />
Now, what have I been up to lately? Well, definitely no good, that's for sure. But besides the kids and my little photography prop making hobby and being part if an awesome exercise group where I get to help teach, I have also taken up.... wait or it.... wait for it.... NOVEL WRITING.<br />
<br />
Yup. It's true. I blame my friend, <a href="https://seriouslygina.com/">Gina. </a>She got me started and hooked. But that's a story for another day.<br />
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I've written a YA fantasy novel that I am currently working on finding an agent for. Maybe nothing will ever come of it, but I have met some rather amazing people and made some incredible friends in the writing world and at the conferences I've attended.<br />
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I love it. I'm already working on another book. It's definitely far, far more difficult than I ever imagined it would be, but it's been quite an exciting journey. Not sure I can ever go back. But like I said, we'll see.<br />
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Welp, there ya have it. Our little family life in a nut-shell.<br />
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I actually do have oooooooooooooone last bit of family news I need to share, but this post is long enough so I'll save that for next time.<br />
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*waves*<br />
~Serene<br />
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All photos were taken by the talented Shawna Pearce Photography, and then brutally chopped and cropped by me to fit my post.<br />
<br />Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-44030724122416026262015-06-20T08:06:00.001-07:002015-06-20T08:06:14.701-07:00Twelve Years! <br />
I wrote this post for our ten year anniversary. But I thought it would be fun to update it for our twelfth.<br />
<br />
And because I haven't blogged in months. Seems a little awkward to suddenly pop in announce it's our twelve year anniversary then run off again.<br />
<br />
So here are our major family moments from throughout the years.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2003</span></u></b><br />
<br />
~ "Officially" started dating in January at BYU.<br />
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~ In May, Hubby proposed.<br />
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~ June 20, 2003 - Sealed in the Orlando, FL Temple...<br />
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<br />
during a tropical storm.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2004</span></u></b><br />
<br />
~ Savannah was born in August with jaundice.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2005</span></u></b><br />
<br />
~ Moved to Wyoming for a summer internship.<br />
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~Visited Mt. Rushmore...<br />
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while sporting some of my awesome fashion sense.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2006</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>~Joseph was born in March.<br />
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~ Although I technically didn't graduate for another semester, I "walked" for my BA in Visual Arts in April.<br />
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~Pregnant with Jacob in this picture.<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2007</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>~ Hubby graduated with his BA in April.<br />
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<br />
~ Jacob was born in May.<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2008</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>~Hubby graduates with his Master's Degree in April.<br />
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~ Moved to Idaho for a job.<br />
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~ Pregnant with Alayna.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2009</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>~Alayna is born in January.<br />
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~ We buy our first home.<br />
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~ Alayna has cranial reconstructive surgery in September.</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2010</span></u></b><br />
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~ Just life with four kids, working on our home, and trying to survive it all.<br />
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~Savannah starts Kindergarten.<br />
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<br />
~ Pregnant with Claira.<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2011</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>Claira is born in May.<br />
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<br />
~Joseph starts Kindergarten.<br />
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<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2012</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
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~ Savannah is baptized.</div>
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<br />
~Jacob starts Kindergarten.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"> 2013</span></u></b><br />
<br />
~Pregnant with baby 6.<br />
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<br />~Savannah begins homeschooling<br />
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<br />
~Jackson is born in November<br /><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2014</span></u></b><br />Jackson has surgery for sagittal craniosynostosis.<br />
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<br />~Jackson get a helmet<br />
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<br />~Joseph is baptized<br />
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~Joseph gets rheumatic fever and fights choreoathetosis.</div>
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~Alayna starts kindergarten</div>
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~Joseph and Savannah homeschool</div>
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<br /><b><u><br /><span style="font-size: large;">2015</span></u></b><br />
<br />
~Hubby gets called to be Bishop of our Ward<br />
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<br />
~Jacob is baptized<br />
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<br />
And that's where our family is at so far this year!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrTNy1S2mXU-ZBicoA7FcqlKYB8m97frs1BNx5EesIZpbkzhKTgCScLhAkNsZmNRETNSu6ByzXokmf5L4MY9MgJFLrH3UsfpU4GXOlNrYOejHJ97NcGeXnVNRbDIxc4SufUPrIIOiKqN-/s1600/11150911_10100868346949484_7217823227698780551_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrTNy1S2mXU-ZBicoA7FcqlKYB8m97frs1BNx5EesIZpbkzhKTgCScLhAkNsZmNRETNSu6ByzXokmf5L4MY9MgJFLrH3UsfpU4GXOlNrYOejHJ97NcGeXnVNRbDIxc4SufUPrIIOiKqN-/s640/11150911_10100868346949484_7217823227698780551_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
We made it to 12 years!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy anniversary to us!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-28700622141389337372015-02-10T19:05:00.001-08:002015-02-10T19:26:21.937-08:00The Gasp That Was Heard Throughout the Ward <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Hello!</span> Hello <span style="font-size: x-small;">Hello</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">ello llo</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Anybody here?</span> body here <span style="font-size: x-small;">dy here</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ere</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
Huh, so this is what an abandoned blog looks like.<br />
<br />
Its so... sad.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, it's my own dadgum fault. Instead of dumping my creative juices into this blog, I've been working hard on other projects.<br />
<br />
I'm one of those people that would probably fall into the category of "Jack of all trades, Master of none."<br />
<br />
Although my name is not Jack and I don't trade Pokemon cards so.....<br />
<br />
But I can't help myself! I like to do too many things and therefore can't keep up with any one them!<br />
<br />
Ah well, even though February is about over, I still plan to finish blogging about Christmas.<br />
<br />
Because I just need to, dang it! <i>*slams fist on counter for emphasis* </i>Ow.<br />
<i><br /></i>
In the meantime, while I stare at the sixty-plus pictures left from Christmas that I need to rummage through, choose and edit for the blog, I figure I had better record this story before it escapes my memory.<br />
<br />
Because even though I think I'll never forget something, inevitably it happens.<br />
<br />
Like forgetting to buy shoes for my wedding day.<br />
<br />
Or a veil for that matter.<br />
<br />
Wait, when is my anniversary again?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyhow!<br />
<br />
Two and a half weeks ago, Hubby was called as the <a href="http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/bishop">Bishop of our ward</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuADl5fAz6cD6mBLr8QH1k1MxoXAQ7E6tK7IqEJGejqtgAR2PCvq2QQZosjDqKA1Tmbv13EmpmSmQex40fYe6LuPGdr2atYqcGS2QB9OVriU9MBSZ6Vsfmaj9U-_9PNOWOBhm6tWxvWVn2/s1600/bishop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuADl5fAz6cD6mBLr8QH1k1MxoXAQ7E6tK7IqEJGejqtgAR2PCvq2QQZosjDqKA1Tmbv13EmpmSmQex40fYe6LuPGdr2atYqcGS2QB9OVriU9MBSZ6Vsfmaj9U-_9PNOWOBhm6tWxvWVn2/s1600/bishop.jpg" /></a></div>
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Are you awake now? Can I get you anything? A drink of water? A chocolate chip?</div>
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No? You've recovered from the shock?</div>
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Okay then, continuing with my story.</div>
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We decided it would be best NOT to tell the kids ahead of time since we didn't want the United States and parts of China knowing before it actually happened. (this is something that should happen at the right place and time through proper priesthood authority)</div>
<br />
I did tell Savannah the morning of as we were getting ready for church. She did the whole, mouth-dropped-open-eyes-widened-to-saucers thing. But she kept her cool.<br />
<br />
What I didn't see coming was when they announced over the pulpit that Hubby was called as the new Bishop, Jacob's head snapped up and he gasped in shock<b><i> so loudly</i></b>, everyone around us started laughing!<br />
<br />
And then laughed some more.<br />
<br />
He's not exactly a quiet person.<br />
<br />
He has no whisper, he wasn't born with that setting. There is only loud and louder.<br />
<br />
He kept smiling and leaning over to ask, <i>"Is daddy really the new bishop?"</i><br />
<br />
It was cute the first seven times.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there you have it. One of my many reasons why this blog has been neglected of late.<br />
<br />
Well, among other things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSdQDHxec_8NdhK2pmNn2Lf1re3_TYt_2WvN_rehTa3QhlWN6wLApnFiTLeZVTBnGsHRgLvxs8Ot-En2YaMXwmMw_Bk4b2JY7W69xhG9dx3NHdLsHEOUV8PS65jmwxo1kxrIer7WiKeud/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSdQDHxec_8NdhK2pmNn2Lf1re3_TYt_2WvN_rehTa3QhlWN6wLApnFiTLeZVTBnGsHRgLvxs8Ot-En2YaMXwmMw_Bk4b2JY7W69xhG9dx3NHdLsHEOUV8PS65jmwxo1kxrIer7WiKeud/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" height="493" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-11904525493179274472015-01-15T10:53:00.000-08:002015-01-15T11:02:29.518-08:00Catching up on Christmas - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The kids actually slept in Christmas morning until a reasonable hour. If memory serves me, it was sometime between six and seven o'clock.</div>
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But my memory doesn't always serve me well. I could be thinking about last week, or last night, or last Christmas! I'm not sure now... hmmmmm.</div>
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Anyway, I was trying to think of a clever caption for this photo. How about this? <i>"Mom! I don't like getting presents! Send them back to Santa!" </i></div>
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<br />
Shouts of joy and excitement were heard as Hubby and I tried to bury our heads under the pillows.<br />
<br />
It didn't work.<br />
<br />
But we made the early birds wait until everyone else was awake.<br />
And if they<i> dare</i> <span style="font-size: large;">wake someone up on purpose</span>, <span style="font-size: x-large;">they would lose a present!</span><br />
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Eh hem... not that we would ever threaten such a thing.<br />
<br />
And Hubby didn't make them wait while he took a shower either.<br />
<br />
<br />
Nope.<br />
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It was all good though because Jackson was the last one up.<br />
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And was completely confused as to why everyone was so dang chipper!<br />
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<br />
And stared at the gifts in confusion.<br />
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<br />
Waiting for daddy...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYddga-cOIbMOX6kQKh3jgYmRTUOvXMhi441wrJoNVCgfZk3b9SM_dCtg0bNCAohe7_YvZ2Hp3hwWNqjsv_zD7BTKNE7dT9VVJA-6CyMTHypopsJErRncro6iCpQfbrsXoi3Pil62PRZqB/s1600/DSC_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYddga-cOIbMOX6kQKh3jgYmRTUOvXMhi441wrJoNVCgfZk3b9SM_dCtg0bNCAohe7_YvZ2Hp3hwWNqjsv_zD7BTKNE7dT9VVJA-6CyMTHypopsJErRncro6iCpQfbrsXoi3Pil62PRZqB/s1600/DSC_0167.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
And waiting...<br />
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<br />
Finally!<br />
<br />
Per tradition, gifts are opened one at a time, going from youngest to oldest.<br />
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<br />
Jackson really wasn't sure what he was suppose to with the thing. He just kept swatting at the paper while the kids were anxiously shouting encouragement.<br />
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Which only had him swatting harder.<br />
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We finally gave him a hand before Claira expired from the torturous waiting.<br />
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<br />
We kept things super simple this year.<br />
<br />
I'm kind of on this "anti-stupid-toy" kick. We mainly got educational or hands-on stuff.<br />
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No electronics and no dolls/figures or things that they would play with for a day then never touch again. Because my kids aren't really into that stuff anyway.<br />
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They <i>THINK</i> they are for about a week. Then they aren't.<br />
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<br />
The kids are still young enough for that to work.<br />
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I was the most worried about Jacob. I thought that perhaps he would be disappointed in one of his gifts.<br />
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Nope. He<i> LOVED</i> it.<br />
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Now, before you shoot me, just know that Alayna did get other "girly" things. But Hubby thought we should wrap up her new bike tires and give them as a gift as well.<br />
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Once again I was surprised at how happy she was with them!<br />
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She does love her bike though and was sad when the tires gave out.<br />
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<br />
Okay, worst picture EVER of Joseph. But I wanted to post it anyway because I loved the other kids faces <i>so much.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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I guess I didn't take any other pictures of Savannah's gifts. Oops.<br />
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<br />
Shared gifts!<br />
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<br />
Books!<br />
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Lots of family stuff!<br />
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My favorite thing of all was when Hubby and I opened our gifts from the kids.<br />
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Hahaha! I just couldn't stop laughing!<br />
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<br />
After presents and stockings were unloaded, we tried out my new waffle maker!<br />
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I even decided to give one of the waffle hacks a shot.<br />
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<br />
The eggs cooked pretty well and the kids thought it was fun!<br />
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Except Claira.<br />
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She <i>refused</i> to touch the "weird eggs" because they were "eestusting"!<br />
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All-in-all, we had a lot of fun!<br />
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So the rest of Christmas break looked at lot like this:<br />
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The kinetic sand was a hit!<br />
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Until they started leaving their creations out on the floor (the table was full of other Christmas projects) and Jackson thought it was hilarious to throw it around the kitchen.<br />
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<i>*banging head on table*</i><br />
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<i>To Be Continued.....</i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-38721080622575105002015-01-12T08:06:00.000-08:002015-01-12T11:16:48.429-08:00Catching up on Christmas ~ Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Writing about Christmas before January is over? Boo-yah! Clearly I am on a roll this year!</div>
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Or not.</div>
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But lets just all pretend, okay?</div>
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As you know, I have been a lame-brain this last year (terminology taken from "Houseboat" with Cary Grant) and didn't decorate our house for a single holiday.</div>
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<i>*gasp*</i> Mortifying. I had to eat a whole bag of chocolate to make myself feel better about it.</div>
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But before you come after me with pitchforks and torches, I will have you know that I really stepped up for Christmas.</div>
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I even went so far as to bust out the tree. <i>*patting self on back*</i></div>
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Even if that tree is STILL the not quite 6-foot thing Hubby and I bought our first Christmas.<br />
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I prop it up in food storage boxes so it appears taller.<br />
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I think it does wonders for its self-esteem.<br />
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Jackson was pretty enthralled with the whole thing,<br />
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In past years I have tried to have some semblance of order on the tree.<br />
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This year I gave up on that entirely and just let the kids do their thing.<br />
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Okay, so I DID move around a couple ornaments. But only when there were ten or more snowflakes on the same branch.<br />
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And for the first time ever, Hubby put the lights on the house! Wahoo!<br />
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I have always done it in the past.<br />
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Except last year. Having a nine month pregnant woman waddling around the roof top would not have have been the best idea.<br />
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Interesting? Sure.<br />
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Terrifying? No doubt.<br />
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But definitely not wise.<br />
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I have my moments.<br />
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And yes, the kids have their roller blades on. Because that's what you do right? Roller blade in the frigid air because there's no snow yet?<br />
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While I may have stepped up in the decorating department, I managed to fail Christmas Eve.<br />
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This is my family eating dinner Christmas Eve.<br />
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I know everyone looks incredibly grouchy (except Jackson) but I promise they weren't.<br />
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Well okay, Claira was.<br />
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What were they eating?<br />
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Frozen, (well, cooked of course) from a box!<br />
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<i>*hanging head in shame*</i><br />
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I'm not even the one who cooked it. Hubby did!<br />
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In my defense though, I was gone a lot of the day.<br />
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<i>*sigh* </i>Okay, lame excuse.<br />
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After our rather fabulous holiday meal, Hubby watched "White Christmas" for the first time ever!<br />
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Yes, Claira. I'll take your picture,<br />
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Where was I? Oh yes.</div>
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So we all watched "White Christmas".</div>
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Jackson especially loved the singing and dancing.<br />
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We may have to watch is all year long just so Jackson can bust out his dance moves.<br />
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After the movie was over, the kids tackled me and frantically exclaimed that we hadn't made chocolate covered carrots for the reindeer!<br />
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Seriously, cookies for Santa was an after-thought.<br />
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I can't remember who's fault it is that this tradition even got started.<br />
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Mine, or Savannah's.<br />
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I'll just blame her.<br />
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Jackson, what are you doing?</div>
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Ta da!<br />
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Jacob said the carrots were specifically for Comet, and that next year we could make carrots for the other reindeer. </div>
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I seriously doubt Comet was allowed to play reindeer games later that night.</div>
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Well, we eventually were able to convince the kids NOT to sleep in the living room, and NOT to sneak upstairs because they thought we had gone to sleep.<br />
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So Santa was finally able to come by.<br />
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And hubby and I actually made it to bed by midnight.<br />
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We rewarded ourselves by eating chocolate-covered carrots.<br />
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Just kidding.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-50426822106540063252014-12-19T07:34:00.002-08:002014-12-19T07:41:55.705-08:00Mom VS Laundry and the Sniff Test<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It all started when I fell behind in my laundry.</div>
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I know how much everyone LOVES to do laundry so, this will come as quite a shock. </div>
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Deep breaths... chocolate... you okay now? The moment of horror has passed?</div>
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Okay then.</div>
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As I was saying, it all started when I fell behind with the laundry.</div>
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Realizing that the underwear drawers were looking pretty scarce, I put on my travel gear and climbed Mount Stinky-Clothes. Once I reached the peek, I was able to get one load of necessities going when I realized to my dismay, it also used up the last of my laundry soap.</div>
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This obviously called for a trip to the store.</div>
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Which I didn't get around to for another four days.</div>
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But eventually I did and armed with two new containers equaling 192 loads, I cautiously attempted to open the utility room door.</div>
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Which turned into shoving match. I finally won.</div>
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Huh, I was pleasantly surprised! It really wasn't as bad as I thought!</div>
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Weird considering that between the eight of us, no one had any clothes left, the towels were all missing, and I know I had had to change a few bed sheets.</div>
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Then I had everyone unload the large hampers in their bedrooms.<br />
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Oooooooooooohhhhhhh........ that's where it all was.<br />
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By the end of the day, the pile was reduced to a small-ish mound that actually fit into the allotted basket space.<br />
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Success!<br />
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And who did all the folding, you might ask?<br />
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Don't worry, I helped... a little.</div>
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Hubby always asks me why I don't make the kids wear certain articles of clothing more than just one day, like a pair of jeans or pajamas.</div>
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I do sometimes, but that requires "the sniff test".</div>
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This is something that was suspiciously left out of the mommy handbook.</div>
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I'm positive it's a conspiracy. No one tells you that someday you will have to choose between extra laundry and having to kill off one of your senses.</div>
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I am sure by the time I'm an empty-nester, my nasal passageways will be so damaged I won't be able to smell a thing!</div>
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At least they are worth it. </div>
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If only I could trust them to do their own sniff tests!</div>
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But I feel confident that it would be a terrible, awful, no good, very bad game plan.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-87773454998996481592014-12-08T12:22:00.001-08:002014-12-08T12:56:51.307-08:00Jackson Turns One!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our favorite little Jack-Jack turned one over three weeks ago!</div>
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<i>*gasp*</i> I know right?</div>
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It's always crazy to me how fast that first year of life goes by. So many changes happen.</div>
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In a lot of ways Jackson's first year seemed to creep slowly on as we dealt with his<a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html"> cranio</a>, yet now that we have reached his first birthday, I'm sure I've only just blinked and he transformed from a newborn to a crazy, active, constantly moving, running, and purely delightful one-year old boy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOrMkMNc7WPVaACAw95dI94WC-D-yhmGa2O9Lni4eEP0G7D0BE2wDKV1n6Z9Nj8l0HlG16-Mm4Vj-Myo7RrxqY5nh6FPG-q6fzqdhbu6jxhe-jz-g0NfPl19ObCSrabfJqlF6-RdrpKdq/s1600/Jacksonbaby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOrMkMNc7WPVaACAw95dI94WC-D-yhmGa2O9Lni4eEP0G7D0BE2wDKV1n6Z9Nj8l0HlG16-Mm4Vj-Myo7RrxqY5nh6FPG-q6fzqdhbu6jxhe-jz-g0NfPl19ObCSrabfJqlF6-RdrpKdq/s1600/Jacksonbaby.JPG" height="148" width="640" /></a></div>
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I simply cannot imagine our family without him. </div>
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The older kids just adore him, even if Claira's love often manifests itself in what seems to him as torture.</div>
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Ah, toddler siblings.</div>
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It's amazing we survive them.</div>
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On Jackson's actual birthday, a sweet lady from our ward (church congregation) stopped by to bring him a plate of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!</div>
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I know right? </div>
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Everyone needs a friend like that.</div>
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See, I'm the kind of friend that will always be there to eat your treats for you while you are on a diet.</div>
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Someone has to be self-sacrificing like that.</div>
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You're welcome.</div>
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Jackson takes his first bite.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Tu0jkqsEFRAD3NIMzq0y9rsbkFqpxORVrwpIS5HspkdKMSKYSyOJWFDJVrEXFjgts4MieBPahWaC0xaMQ5szL8_fX4MIvPkoTSfrqd5Ex76eA8djCtd7JVV96bPDtzRhmcINa9Ih264L/s1600/DSC_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Tu0jkqsEFRAD3NIMzq0y9rsbkFqpxORVrwpIS5HspkdKMSKYSyOJWFDJVrEXFjgts4MieBPahWaC0xaMQ5szL8_fX4MIvPkoTSfrqd5Ex76eA8djCtd7JVV96bPDtzRhmcINa9Ih264L/s1600/DSC_.jpg" height="403" width="640" /></a></div>
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Success!! He loves them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm-371SjPjOIGHlOBP5yAGvX9AXANMzKikFpznZcbPyjv9e49G-HgD-5mlkf-_n6c2eWmkrk4n8geR1SlBwZK4t-VJC6vWWQihu-AqMOsbKY0aPmZmebhNlxoXJw6VYqJmCPLLNWYtPh-/s1600/DSC_0556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm-371SjPjOIGHlOBP5yAGvX9AXANMzKikFpznZcbPyjv9e49G-HgD-5mlkf-_n6c2eWmkrk4n8geR1SlBwZK4t-VJC6vWWQihu-AqMOsbKY0aPmZmebhNlxoXJw6VYqJmCPLLNWYtPh-/s1600/DSC_0556.JPG" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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I know this because after his third cookie I told him he needed to take a break.<br />
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He wasn't too happy with me.<br />
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The next day there was snow, lots of it. And it was FA-REEEEEZING!<br />
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Soooooo cold.<br />
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So instead of taking Jackson out into it, I brought some of the snow in for him!<br />
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<i>Uh mom... what IS that??</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT2LSz7rWEkJ0GKT4ZcdoAnbY_gOol7pDq5AVNskN8_XjS2Xm-P2AS5NSC0B9pIjyCMWN3fCPsfJdpaI6kPlGUqCihgoUhsrmMGwn7YrJUIuDX1_ptz0up7H_UuyED1yGUbIpQ4MpPBG3/s1600/DSC_0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT2LSz7rWEkJ0GKT4ZcdoAnbY_gOol7pDq5AVNskN8_XjS2Xm-P2AS5NSC0B9pIjyCMWN3fCPsfJdpaI6kPlGUqCihgoUhsrmMGwn7YrJUIuDX1_ptz0up7H_UuyED1yGUbIpQ4MpPBG3/s1600/DSC_0563.JPG" height="365" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Oooohh, coldness! What am I suppose to DO with this stuff?</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q7ZlasuPKtkcW92q4-t7Ue2i15UbIRHFXPKqCMHWOREwwsQaXMLayyZ9qUBu_1_KxHZB2CzCwXffcfgqZHVuToQjFBOxugB2FGo9WqbtV3MYzgTYSjD70n62tLiyroQgW8yDuGore4Q1/s1600/DSC_0565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8q7ZlasuPKtkcW92q4-t7Ue2i15UbIRHFXPKqCMHWOREwwsQaXMLayyZ9qUBu_1_KxHZB2CzCwXffcfgqZHVuToQjFBOxugB2FGo9WqbtV3MYzgTYSjD70n62tLiyroQgW8yDuGore4Q1/s1600/DSC_0565.JPG" height="385" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Let's give it the ole' stick-it-in-the-mouth test. Hopefully they taste better than those stale cheerios I found on the floor. Hmmm... not bad mom! </i><br />
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That Saturday we drove up to my parents house for an early Thanksgiving/Jackson's birthday celebration!</div>
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My brother's wedding for the day before had been postponed, and since my siblings who had bought plane tickets couldn't cancel, we had a party anyway!</div>
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Well, after Jackson's nap we did.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2j3QfVoZRCpWATQDvyyP0Gcgl1JtdybpLCOnAx7ctQIQ5BnkRoHl6zYPsSxRW0lCJgnViH8bbq0e6UTD4tMoFQlapK3mv0bYZo-h4vQLVSwb5GDDzjsFp8PhURF9m0Kk2_aPZzFO1CEr/s1600/25+-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2j3QfVoZRCpWATQDvyyP0Gcgl1JtdybpLCOnAx7ctQIQ5BnkRoHl6zYPsSxRW0lCJgnViH8bbq0e6UTD4tMoFQlapK3mv0bYZo-h4vQLVSwb5GDDzjsFp8PhURF9m0Kk2_aPZzFO1CEr/s1600/25+-.jpg" /></a></div>
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Not long after the gut-filling dinner, my kids were just itching for Jackson to open his present brought by our cousins.</div>
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You know you're a bad mom when your cousin brings a gift for your child but you haven't gotten him one yet.</div>
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Epic fail.</div>
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At first Jackson wasn't sure what to think of all the attention. And what was with this big bag of paper that Savannah kept telling him to pull apart?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyNQgltcSUdZme_7KW5tf45A5e0mTt71s3ynGrsdqcK5ajPJ1zF4wlEjFyUdb6oGiVumj0qinwxRUPqEAG6FvJVE7jxsGN2vJ3wvATtayvhUGAeJY6hQPkcyE_2BFBN7kL05aGGvSocfg/s1600/DSC_0571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyNQgltcSUdZme_7KW5tf45A5e0mTt71s3ynGrsdqcK5ajPJ1zF4wlEjFyUdb6oGiVumj0qinwxRUPqEAG6FvJVE7jxsGN2vJ3wvATtayvhUGAeJY6hQPkcyE_2BFBN7kL05aGGvSocfg/s1600/DSC_0571.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ah ha!! The secret is revealed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c_DIxnm2UdMkEJvKjqTTsncAuOo_NvjathC_d0Ju78OQV4X_fyEYqBXInB7K_rjYYijnuiNVAK0L-3fTGDlQKmMS7l5YJePFjSs0UIFsLn_H758p73ytKqQvwFE3O2Elqhaw9YbIfrOz/s1600/DSC_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c_DIxnm2UdMkEJvKjqTTsncAuOo_NvjathC_d0Ju78OQV4X_fyEYqBXInB7K_rjYYijnuiNVAK0L-3fTGDlQKmMS7l5YJePFjSs0UIFsLn_H758p73ytKqQvwFE3O2Elqhaw9YbIfrOz/s1600/DSC_0572.JPG" height="495" width="640" /></a></div>
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He love loved it!<br />
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And yes, he is super drooly. I suppose I would be too if I had half a mouth of teeth coming in all at once!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEll7LPtDPB1t1EkBzuSTGBtLy6ZYhFVr0ze3YLbY6p95YAAw7jQiysVzN_l1bkv-73jIFasg2v9ZK30Elr6mfV1KxOXCU2c0tkwJppnL2EVqi7A4xW_sk4ft_GONWTLpVNvT43qszV7II/s1600/DSC_0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEll7LPtDPB1t1EkBzuSTGBtLy6ZYhFVr0ze3YLbY6p95YAAw7jQiysVzN_l1bkv-73jIFasg2v9ZK30Elr6mfV1KxOXCU2c0tkwJppnL2EVqi7A4xW_sk4ft_GONWTLpVNvT43qszV7II/s1600/DSC_0575.JPG" height="515" width="640" /></a></div>
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Who am I kidding. All you have to do it bring chocolate with in ten feet of me and I look like that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_S2L2qfUPCmSl2z8FIWueoQiixayGfNB6tTY0BoNcQA0X01ufa2uZ9NgxGxRdZuxc_0z14oQUf83j1NbUznnB9oaho95h2I_uA2biG62zVBQtxfyvWxMOevPHo0qaswvCoUSLEb8mHWt/s1600/DSC_0576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_S2L2qfUPCmSl2z8FIWueoQiixayGfNB6tTY0BoNcQA0X01ufa2uZ9NgxGxRdZuxc_0z14oQUf83j1NbUznnB9oaho95h2I_uA2biG62zVBQtxfyvWxMOevPHo0qaswvCoUSLEb8mHWt/s1600/DSC_0576.JPG" height="499" width="640" /></a></div>
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Okay judge, before you pass a final verdict upon my super lame-o cake, allow me to offer up a defense!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCgLuI68nm0SqzEpT41k04FrXYRxqZ-MgM-Fk1uU_auOg0cE_QifMMcocwQQEwlBinduzVV0mvniIl4o22S9iFc-bEw9tt_nDR01qYmtw4LBXHqZIzU4ELtHp4ha2Cw2pWuG0rfVR6tFL/s1600/DSC_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCgLuI68nm0SqzEpT41k04FrXYRxqZ-MgM-Fk1uU_auOg0cE_QifMMcocwQQEwlBinduzVV0mvniIl4o22S9iFc-bEw9tt_nDR01qYmtw4LBXHqZIzU4ELtHp4ha2Cw2pWuG0rfVR6tFL/s1600/DSC_0580.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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Like a good mom getting a head start on things, I had baked the two round cakes the night before.<br />
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Once they had cooled I put an <b>entire</b> container of chocolate frosting between the two layers.<br />
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Okay... so maybe I was a bit generous with it, but who doesn't like frosting in the middle of the cake!?<br />
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Instead of taking the time to freeze the cake and put on a thin layer of icing before actually frosting it, I went ahead and gave myself permission to unload another container of frosting, this time vanilla. You know, for variety sake.<br />
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However, soon I noticed little brown swirls appearing in my pristine white frosting!<br />
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Oh hang it all. So out comes another container of frosting!<br />
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See, I kind of figured that if I just put the frosting on thick enough, I could hide the chocolate swirls.<br />
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Alas, my thinking was faulty and the more I tried to smooth and frost, the more the chocolate and vanilla swirled together.<br />
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Well, I might as well run with it.<br />
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I left it to set over-night. The next morning after getting out of the shower, I noticed little finger-dug holes in one side of the cake!<br />
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What!?<br />
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<i>KIDS! WHO ATE THE FROSTING!?</i><br />
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Naturally, <i>Not Me</i> had done it.<br />
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Not Me is pretty naughty here at our house, always causing trouble and doing things they know they aren't suppose to do!<br />
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<i>*sigh*</i> I'm just not sure what to do with Not Me.<br />
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Well, I tried to smooth it out but since the frosting had dried, all I got a nice big messy mush-up of dried and soft frosting.<br />
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I just quit while I was behind after that.<br />
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I put the remaining half container of icing into a decorating bag and added some lame swirls to try and hide the mush-up spot a little.<br />
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Even if it looked really, really bad, a cake with three containers of frosting on it should taste good anyway right?<br />
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Jackson thought it was awesome!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05BZewkswIqDC1v9pLru9O31AkYZZJuZJ6sgUS4sQqOsj7lNqB-OVI2i55ZDuqHkDH5khJmZjXAKSwqw33T5PxQKD90It-DCDhaXJG-gvELapFa3gU0QL0cCd57Xew_yK6bmrgANqewM1/s1600/DSC_0582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05BZewkswIqDC1v9pLru9O31AkYZZJuZJ6sgUS4sQqOsj7lNqB-OVI2i55ZDuqHkDH5khJmZjXAKSwqw33T5PxQKD90It-DCDhaXJG-gvELapFa3gU0QL0cCd57Xew_yK6bmrgANqewM1/s1600/DSC_0582.JPG" height="506" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photobombed by Uncle Joel.<br />
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My dad was snapping pictures with one camera, my mom with another.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwWnUUN5jzRXNGGe_vb2a85B9_QjOR15l4p2Sf4W2ad1YURzz87SbeMntwc1dsZDvU6ihfgwpOsja7UZ27_2J22bh-LF_Y49ES9YtLBWkIYwz-gbFgHeBeppx-GJ9RpLeIyIs2sy9i54q/s1600/35+-+Jackson+ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwWnUUN5jzRXNGGe_vb2a85B9_QjOR15l4p2Sf4W2ad1YURzz87SbeMntwc1dsZDvU6ihfgwpOsja7UZ27_2J22bh-LF_Y49ES9YtLBWkIYwz-gbFgHeBeppx-GJ9RpLeIyIs2sy9i54q/s1600/35+-+Jackson+ready.jpg" height="473" width="640" /></a></div>
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Joel you attention hog you!<br />
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Clapping after the song!<br />
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All the photo moments caught on video!<br />
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Jackson LOVES watching his birthday video!<br />
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And despite the fact that the cake was a failure to look upon, everyone loved it!<br />
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Especially the birthday boy.<br />
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JACK-JACK ATTACK!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-20297047816398580692014-12-01T21:56:00.000-08:002014-12-01T22:12:43.200-08:00Turkey and Cranberry Sauce<br />
Have I mentioned before that my hubby comes from a family of nine kids? Since they are all married and have children, when they ALL get together there are about... 32 grand kids (with more on the way) under the age of 13 years old.<br />
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True story.<br />
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And even when they don't all get together, there are still plenty of littles to keep everyone on their toes.<br />
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For Thanksgiving this year we went over to the in-laws. There were only 20 of the grandkids there, but they all had a blast with each other.<br />
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Truly, they really do all get along extremely well!<br />
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Unless you steal Claira's ball.<br />
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You don't want to do that.<br />
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Eh heh... trust me.<br />
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Jackson thought a room full of never-ending bouncy balls was the greatest thing on earth.<br />
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I do the same thing when I see chocolate in the room.<br />
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I also do this when chocolate is involved.</div>
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I guess Jackson and I both need to work on our sharing skills.<br />
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After a long day of playing hard, some of us went back to Grandma's house.<br />
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Tired of my hair being down, I twisted it up and stuck a pencil through it to make it stay.<br />
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My adorable little niece seemed to think that was the coolest thing she had ever seen. So she climbed up onto my lap and started handing me pencils.<br />
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Not too shabby!</div>
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I have so many hidden talents even I am amazed at myself! </div>
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Oh that face! She's so adorable!<br />
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Who knew pencils in the hair was so dad-gum awesome!<br />
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Next time you are feeling down, try putting some colored pencils in your hair. It might just cheer you up!<br />
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The next morning there was some of this going on...<br />
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and some of this.<br />
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You know the boys are desperate for electronics when they play on a pink toddler toy.<br />
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But apparently if it makes noise and has a screen, that's good enough.<br />
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Once the kids were fed, we dressed them up and booted them out of the house!<br />
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Okay not really.<br />
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Well, maybe sort of.<br />
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It was surprisingly warm so the snow was pretty slushy, but the kids had a blast driving "Bob" around and getting rides.<br />
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Yes, "Bob".<br />
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Because people really do name their stuff.<br />
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I should name my pillow or something, just so I can be cool too.<br />
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<br />
Maybe my hairbrush can be "Wookie".<br />
<br />
<br />
Bedtime is always crazy, chaotic, and takes a million <i>"go to sleep!"</i>s before it actually happens.<br />
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<br />
But eventually they succumb.<br />
<br />
<br />
Saturday afternoon was also spent outside all day.<br />
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Even Jackson went for a little outing with dad, though it was too cold for him to stay out very long.<br />
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I know you can't tell, but he was practically telling that thing to<i> "giddy-up!"</i> he was so excited.<br />
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The older kids had become pretty brave in their sledding escapades and connected three sleds together.<br />
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<br />
It was awesome.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We got home Saturday evening and went about unloading what seemed to be half our house from the trailer, and getting everyone showered before bed.<br />
<br />
Tired of everyone harping on me to give Jackson a haircut and claiming he looks like a girl, I gave him his first haircut that night.<br />
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<br />
I know he's adorable, but he looks like a big boy now and not my little baby!<br />
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<br />
I'm not ready for him to be a big boy yet!<br />
<br />
<i>*sniffle*</i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-46586163473655874852014-11-24T08:59:00.002-08:002014-11-24T08:59:23.692-08:00This is what happens....<br />
This is what happens when you take your child to their one-year old check-up with the pediatrician, in the middle of a snow storm I might add, and as you pull them out of the car seat while the freezing wind is whipping at you and snow is pouring from the heavens, you realize that in the fifteen minutes it took you to dive there, they had done a swell job of soaking all their clothes with a super-whopping-colossal-mega-blow-out.<br />
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And you didn't bring extra clothes.<br />
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Hoping their poop-saturated clothes won't instantly freeze upon cold air contact, you race into the building while trying not to hug them too close, or slip in the quickly accumulating snow, while coercing a stubborn toddler into walking on their own though they are insisting upon being carried.<br />
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On the bright side, at least he wasn't wearing his coat in the car!<br />
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He didn't seem to mind his minimalistic outfit.<br />
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And this is what happens when you give your toddler a bowl of cereal.</div>
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Like... every day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvjz_xAdHsfrdwIjNrwRWXlGuflE4hHrjTWq21abZyNeQldK41hpLpJpmVeYZtzjtQBrmYbu_owocLON4SJaytwj9VZvffY5UR-RD6PB2FhIc0VgHUMVJJNLciOrii3YaC73MsUKVu49n/s1600/DSC_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvjz_xAdHsfrdwIjNrwRWXlGuflE4hHrjTWq21abZyNeQldK41hpLpJpmVeYZtzjtQBrmYbu_owocLON4SJaytwj9VZvffY5UR-RD6PB2FhIc0VgHUMVJJNLciOrii3YaC73MsUKVu49n/s1600/DSC_0543.JPG" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Caption this photo!</div>
<br />
On the bright side, the floor get mopped... a lot!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-61923676912787793982014-11-10T21:27:00.000-08:002014-11-10T21:44:41.781-08:00Happiness is a Journey<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;"><i>"Beware of Destination Addiction... a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job and with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are." ~Robert Holden</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;">Somewhere along the line I seem to have forgotten how to look at and enjoy the little things, those mere moments that are here and gone in the blink of an eye.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
I never wanted to be that frustrated mom. The one who was always overwhelmed, upset, grouchy, and boring.<br />
<br />
I am in no way implying that it's not okay to feel that way sometimes. I'm sure we all do.<br />
<br />
I just didn't want that to be my <b>state of mind</b>, my life, or the way my children remembered me.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><i>Joseph teaching Savannah how to play chess.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<i><br /></i>
<i>I'm not so sure she's getting it. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
I needed to change my attitude.<br />
<br />
Easier said then done.<br />
<br />
As I've reflected on this change in myself, there are many things I could attribute to it.<br />
<br />
But one of the biggest things is simply that I allowed myself to become lazy.<br />
<br />
It's true.<br />
<br />
It is easy to know what we should be doing, it's another to actually do them.<br />
<br />
Over the last year I began to feel justified somehow in skipping out on the work that needed to be done so I could do something easier or more fun instead.<br />
<br />
I am not saying that we need to wear ourselves down or never take time off to relax.<br />
<br />
Heaven knows I'm all about a night out, a good book, a fun movie, and a giant bag of chocolate.<br />
<br />
But there is a big difference between taking a break and a breather, and simply not doing.<br />
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<i>(This is the section where I droned on and on about this topic in great detail, then I deleted it all. You're welcome.)</i><br />
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<h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">“</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's a day you've had everything to do and you've done it.” </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">― </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Margaret Thatcher</span></span></h1>
<br />
As I have made a bit more effort to just... <b>do </b>and<b> be</b>, the atmosphere in our home has shifted a bit.<br />
<br />
But this time for the better.<br />
<br />
Possibly in part because I am feeling better about me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Claira making her first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She wouldn't let me help.</i><br />
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<br />
<i>Jelly everywhere people. Seriously, E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. But she was so proud. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
We woke up this morning to snow.<br />
<br />
Jackson was <b>fascinated</b> by it.<br />
<br />
Even though we were dealing with the craziness of the morning and trying to get Alayna and Jacob ready for school, I took him out into it and he was down-right enthralled.<br />
<br />
I may despise the icky white stuff, but he was loving it!<br />
<br />
After a while I took him back into the house where he instantly demanded to be taken back out again.<br />
<br />
It was only then I remembered to try and capture the moment.<br />
<br />
I told Savannah to grab the camera and snap a few shots of Jackson despite the fact that I had serious bed head and bad slept in make-up going on.<br />
<br />
I may have missed out on the original smiles, but not his fascination.<br />
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I want to be like Jackson when I grow up and find joy in all the little things.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey."</i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-46258527344503279182014-11-04T18:59:00.000-08:002014-11-04T19:23:19.602-08:00Halloween is OVER! *insert awkward happy dance*<br />
<br />
November 1st is my favorite day of the year.<br />
<br />
The End.<br />
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<br />
I'm kidding!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kind of.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I finally threw away last year's candy on Halloween night.<br />
<br />
True story.<br />
<br />
There was quite a bit of it left too.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure if I should feel proud or ashamed.<br />
<br />
<br />
I tried to look up last year's Halloween post because I was curious about what I has written. To my mortification I discovered that while I had edited all the photos and started writing the post, I never actually finished it, and therefore never published it.<br />
<br />
Horrified, I looked up my post from 2012 only to realize that Joseph, Jacob, and Alayna have been wearing<i> the same costumes</i> for the last three years! Well, I guess Jacob was Batman last year, but still!<br />
<br />
Before you start throwing your rotting Jack-o-lanterns at me, I will have you know that I offered to find different costumes for them.<br />
<br />
No one wanted a different one.<br />
<br />
I was even about to take Joseph over to a friend's house, who graciously offered to let us borrow one of their many extras, to pick out a different costume.<br />
<br />
He didn't want to.<br />
<br />
He sorta loves his ninja outfit.<br />
<br />
Kind of.<br />
<br />
Just a little.<br />
<br />
In an "no one is allowed to touch it" sort of way.<br />
<br />
But he barely fit into it this year.<br />
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Next year's not going to work out so well<br />
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Since Savannah didn't want to wear the costume I had found for her last year, we pulled out a prom dress that a friend had given to her and just made stuff up.</div>
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'Cause that's how I roll.</div>
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Alayna was a witch... again.</div>
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I had borrowed a Tinker Bell costume from my neighbor for Claira. </div>
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At fist she was excited and wore it around the house.</div>
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But when it came down to it, she didn't want to wear it. So we just made stuff up for her too.</div>
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<br />
I think part of the reason the boys love these costumes so much are the swords.<br />
<br />
Best/worst investment I ever made.<br />
<br />
Seriously, I can't tell you how many hours of fun and buckets of tears have stemmed from sword duels fought though out the year.<br />
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Jacob was Batman at school. But for trick-or-treating, he wanted to carry his sword.<br />
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Since I didn't have anything for Jackson, my neighbor let me borrow a costume.</div>
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There was a super adorable Peter Pan outfit that I almost went with.</div>
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But as soon as I saw the superman, I was hooked.</div>
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So much <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html">nostalgia.</a><br />
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<br />
He will always be Superman so me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our day went pretty much like any other year.<br />
<br />
Trick-or-Treating over by Daddy's workplace, come home and dump the contents from the full buckets into plastic sacks, scarf down a quick dinner, then head out again for the neighborhood Trunk-or-Treat.<br />
<br />
That's why I have to take pictures beforehand.<br />
<br />
It's far too difficult to get them during that raging dash of collecting as much bounty as possible by sugar-crazed little people.<br />
<br />
So I tried to get plenty before we left.<br />
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<br />
Claira soooooooooooooo did not appreciate Jackson confiscating her crown.<br />
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Needless to say, after the fire-breathing dragon known as a toddler was unleashed, pictures were over.<br />
<br />
The kids had a grand time.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I tell myself not to eat all the good candy out of the kid's Halloween bags.<br />
<br />
Myself is not listening.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-30420503993740907112014-10-30T21:15:00.000-07:002014-10-31T06:16:10.368-07:00Keeping It Real<br />
<i>*gasp*</i> Another post?<br />
<br />
Yup.<br />
<br />
And I'm pretty sure that was a pig that just flew by my window.<br />
<br />
<br />
Ugh. <i>*flopping onto couch, flinging arm over face*</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I suck at this parenting thing.<br />
<br />
Seriously.<br />
<br />
This week has been down-right barbaric.<br />
<br />
Epic fail.<br />
<br />
I have been trying so hard too, you know?<br />
<br />
Then... <i>*poof!*</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I respond with reaction instead of action.<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i> I am getting really good at apologizing to my children.<br />
<br />
We have so much fun and then... it's bedtime. (or dinnertime, or chore time, or... well you know what I mean)<br />
<br />
Bedtime it evil.<br />
<br />
And teeth brushing is torture.<br />
<br />
Just saying.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Okay fine, not ALWAYS.<br />
<br />
But someone has poisoned our water with a large dose of cranky and some extra strong selective hearing.<br />
<br />
I think my kids are deaf to my voice.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should try another language.<br />
<br />
Russian perhaps?<br />
<br />
Our living room has become a communal dumping ground for all things child related.<br />
<br />
There must be a sign with an open invite somewhere only children can read.<br />
<br />
The laundry hampers appear to be allergic to dirty laundry and simply regurgitate them all over the bedroom floors.<br />
<br />
Why else would there be a perfectly good, empty laundry basket two feet away from a dozen items of dirty clothes?<br />
<br />
Oh, and the screaming in anger at the top of your lungs in the store?<br />
<br />
So got that covered.<br />
<br />
My toddler is an expert.<br />
<br />
<br />
Just... just.........<br />
<br />
<br />
You know?<br />
<br />
<br />
My children are superbly awesome. Can't imagine our family without a single one.<br />
<br />
But for the love, did they <i>have</i> to leave a bag of bread in the bathroom?<br />
<br />
<br />
And now, here is a picture of us all smiling. (okay, except Jackson)<br />
<br />
Just because.<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12FZf1vvhVsjPVHL-jhLLm681XA_Oyu2LwuWb1BENgBn3T7nq8dRfMiLoYRAnbX0apkilnfXygQv1wtUiwbQBAtXH8DyeZlTy1v6haISGiMLQfabCvntVN_aEOspbZLsIyqIYBHhd4Rl2/s1600/family+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12FZf1vvhVsjPVHL-jhLLm681XA_Oyu2LwuWb1BENgBn3T7nq8dRfMiLoYRAnbX0apkilnfXygQv1wtUiwbQBAtXH8DyeZlTy1v6haISGiMLQfabCvntVN_aEOspbZLsIyqIYBHhd4Rl2/s1600/family+picture.jpg" height="391" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Photo from July taken by my sister! www.facebook.com/RRejoiceGPhotograph<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-73777970406926039352014-10-28T21:43:00.001-07:002014-10-28T21:50:13.731-07:00Subject WhiplashI apologize in advance if jumping from subject to subject gives you whiplash.<br />
<br />
But this is what happens when you are so far behind in your writing that you just don't even know what to do about it.<br />
<br />
So you mesh it all together into organized chaos.<br />
<br />
Kind of like how dinner time is.<br />
<br />
Except dinner doesn't always have the organized part.<br />
<br />
Anyhow....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Halloween is this week. (just call me Captain Obvious)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure this is the first year in the <i>history</i> of my motherhood that I have failed to decorate for fall.<br />
<br />
I even made cute decorations for a church activity that I was excited to have out and about my house.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8HiCSzDTDD5UvfTnFwmvsIeU9ZCQnlj3RZByL-8MA1lzyvEBeLsxhfAyXwtOGFtfWZwvnbAvQtk5OPrawCBV3LmPhs0-F8B-rz9ORO6z4ekcCfycbgUFkwoLPsUBWaiSDRXNVHaitsHC/s1600/craft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8HiCSzDTDD5UvfTnFwmvsIeU9ZCQnlj3RZByL-8MA1lzyvEBeLsxhfAyXwtOGFtfWZwvnbAvQtk5OPrawCBV3LmPhs0-F8B-rz9ORO6z4ekcCfycbgUFkwoLPsUBWaiSDRXNVHaitsHC/s1600/craft.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqqJTzYkTLuk4-bUOlB6X-muGlq9sHdeBZ3fk6AyKbGahV67qdBFJwD3IcX-pt2a4VS3NAiUxtW300qXxAE6Mo5KtwJSA7mhS0HDVDh9tn3I26tAUkl8_MB1u3jkmiGK-y-GGKvLkKs60/s1600/craft1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqqJTzYkTLuk4-bUOlB6X-muGlq9sHdeBZ3fk6AyKbGahV67qdBFJwD3IcX-pt2a4VS3NAiUxtW300qXxAE6Mo5KtwJSA7mhS0HDVDh9tn3I26tAUkl8_MB1u3jkmiGK-y-GGKvLkKs60/s1600/craft1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Sadly they are still sitting in a box in my bedroom. <i>(minus the candy)</i><br />
<br />
I'm not entirely sure why.<i> (the decorations, not the candy)</i><br />
<br />
Deep down I kind of wanted to hit some weird cleaning mania that comes every now and then where I go all super cleaning ninja crazy and whip this place back into shape! THEN I would decorate.<br />
<br />
Which totally explains why everything is still in boxes.<br />
<br />
And I seriously need to mop my floor.<br />
<br />
<br />
I did however buy trick-or-treating candy early this year! Oh ya, I was going to be SOOO on top of that.<br />
<br />
I should have known better than to get chocolate though.<br />
<br />
I uh... need to get more candy now. Eh hem.<br />
<br />
I am just incredibly grateful that my children are completely satisfied with thrown together, hodge-podge costumes, or hand me downs that they have worn before in years past.<br />
<br />
Call me the Wicked Witch (okay, don't really) but I'm not the cool mom that comes up with totally awesome costumes.<br />
<br />
And none of my kids have ever really begged to be anything in particular.<br />
<br />
So we just... wing it.<br />
<br />
Part of the reason I have not delved into the world of super crazy cleaning ninja, is because I have been crafting away. I have discovered that I really love making photography props! So fun!<br />
<br />
And my girls LOOOVE to model them for me.<br />
<br />
Plus it's just fun taking pictures of them.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
And now for a complete change in subject, I snapped these pictures at the park a couple weeks ago.<br />
<br />
It was a simply gorgeous fall day (which means it was warm) so we spent the afternoon taking up <i>every single</i> swing at the park.<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw8qsm6XNJv22GhCawMN2DnbupItBTW1V3LYfHssjRgQzbAXpO1Mb4YNGPWAU_u01ouHo901SdF82g3pom3Tw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Luckily there weren't too many people there so we didn't get the stinky eye from anyone.<br />
<br />
There's a first for everything.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Now that all the craziness with <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html">Jackson</a> and <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/02/joseph-and-choreoathetosis.html">Joseph</a> have calmed down, I have been a bit on pins and needles, waiting for the next "big bad thing" to happen.<br />
<br />
You know?<br />
<br />
Well, maybe it's not a "big thing", but I have had some bodily pain inflicted on me in the last couple weeks.<br />
<br />
It all started with a friendly chat with Hubby in the kitchen on his lunch break.<br />
<br />
There I was completely relaxed, leaning back against the counter with my feet out in front of me, when Hubby walks by and accidentally mutilated my big toe.<br />
<br />
You know, the whole, shoe-hitting-toenail thing. Hit, crunch, crackle, snap... blood, pain, tears.<br />
<br />
Okay okay, so it wasn't THAT bad. He didn't take the whole toe nail off or anything, but youch it hurt!<br />
<br />
Poor guy was feeling sooo bad about it.<br />
<br />
I should have asked for money in that moment. <br />
<br />
Just kidding.<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kind of.</span><br />
<br />
But what can I say? I'm the one who, the next day, managed to drop a heavy, wood kitchen table insert into her nose.<br />
<br />
Ya. I know, it sounds weird.<br />
<br />
But I am an expert klutz. It takes real skill to do something like that.<br />
<br />
I had put the two table inserts on the floor. Later I picked one up and leaned it against the counter. Then I stepped to the end of the second one, bent down to pick it up, and the next thing I know the first piece came slamming down into my face.<br />
<br />
Seriously, I thought my face exploded.<br />
<br />
Did I break or fracture it? No idea. I didn't bother seeing a doctor for a few reasons.<br />
<br />
One, it barely bled. I thought that was weird, but it must have been because it hit right on the hardest part of the bone (Or something. I'm just making up reasons).<br />
<br />
Two, it was a straight on hit so it's not like it popped sideways or anything. I figured they would just say something like, "Yup! You cracked it good! Nothing we can do. Here's your bill!"<br />
<br />
Three, I'm just SO tired of medical bills.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, here is a picture almost a week later.<br />
<br />
At least I don't look like a Klingon fresh off the Star Ship Enterprise anymore.<br />
<br />
Small blessings.<br />
<br />
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<br />
I actually took this "selfie" (I feel completely weird using that word) to show off my new hairstyle.<br />
<br />
I've never had bangs in my life so it was kind of a big deal for me.<br />
<br />
But selfies are weird. And uncomfortable to take.<br />
<br />
Just down-right awkward, you know what I'm saying?<br />
<br />
You know what? Just forget I ever used the word "selfie".<br />
<br />
I promise to never say it again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And now for something fun to end with.<br />
<br />
We had full on tackle daddy episode the other night. The kids were having a blast, laughing and screaming like crazy!<br />
<br />
At least it was good screaming.<br />
<br />
You know, NOT the tear filled kind.<br />
<br />
Yes, it does happen.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EnV6BHAIREk?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br /></div>
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Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-65536375315891596522014-10-14T23:17:00.001-07:002015-06-03T17:47:58.033-07:00A Little Bit of Life<br />
You know, one would think after having a horrendous cough for a week that at the very least, a nice set of six-pack abs would be the reward for all that core toning.<br />
<br />
Alas, it is not so.<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i> All that unintentional hard work for nothing.<br />
<br />
Is it possible to pull a muscle from coughing? Because I swear it felt like I did, right at the base of my rib cage....<br />
<br />
Anyhow, it's nice to be able to talk again without having to repeat what I said six or seven times before I am understood through all the coughing.<br />
<br />
My kids were starting to give me blank stares every time I tried to talk to them.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~~~~~</div>
<br />
Okay, so I wrote the above about a week ago when I started this post.<br />
<br />
I assure you that I have spent a good week blissfully cough-free.<br />
<br />
Why did I leave in this post you ask?<br />
<br />
Because I'm still miffed about the abs thing....<br />
<br />
<br />
Moving on.<br />
<br />
<br />
Life in our household has had it's share of your everyday ups and downs.<br />
<br />
It's been loud, and messy, and good, and fun, and hard, and crazy. Lots of fighting, Lots of laughs.<br />
<br />
You know, the usual.<br />
<br />
Homeschooling is going remarkably well.<br />
<br />
Not that there haven't been days that have been, eh hem, rough. (to say the least <i>*mumbled quietly under my breath... lovingly of course*</i>)<br />
<br />
Like when Joseph had to this science project. We had been discussing the importance of diagrams in science.<br />
<br />
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<br />
You would have thought I had just asked him to go weed the garden with a fork and cut all the grass in the yard with scissors by the way he was moaning and carrying on about it.<br />
<br />
Now he is so dang proud of it it's been hanging up in our kitchen for almost two weeks!<br />
<br />
One of these days he'll let me take it down.<br />
<br />
Maybe.<br />
<br />
Joseph's <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/02/joseph-and-choreoathetosis.html">chorea</a> is barely noticeable these unless you knew to look for it. Then you'd see it. But he is doing amazing.<br />
<br />
I encouraged him to try painting the other day. He actually seemed to enjoy it instead of being so frustrated with the inability to hold the brush or to control his movements enough to do it.<br />
<br />
It's awesome.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Savannah is also doing well with homeschooling and does a lot of this when she has completed her work.<br />
<br />
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Can't imagine where she gets it from!<br />
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Eh hem... <i>*glancing around suspiciously then sneaking a bit reading in while typing this post at the same time*</i><br />
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Alayna and Claira decided a while back that since I am being too slow at putting up my Fall and Halloween decorations, they would take matters into their own hands and decorate their bedroom.<br />
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The dried up leaves have been there long enough that most of them have been knocked off or crushed, leaving the stems still taped to the walls and ceiling.</div>
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True story.</div>
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Jacob is seven. </div>
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I've decided that seven is a reeeeeeeally hard boy age.</div>
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The end.</div>
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Jackson is just... awesome.</div>
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Everyone in the family down-right adores him and he is, quite literally at times, smothered with love.</div>
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It's hard not to really. He just has the best little personality one could ask for in an eleven month old.</div>
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I am so not looking forward to when he turns seven.<br />
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Just sayin'.<br />
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But my favorite of all favorite things that he does right now is, whenever we gather for family prayer and the kids all fold their arms, so does he!</div>
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Seriously, I can't explain it. It's just simply the cutest thing ever.</div>
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Be still my heart. I love it so much.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_oukiUtvrUAx7cAIU5pWt5-f68jvPlRFmiyZ6ZbkqnveDOTLTPi4xNP0hIXOQg_feBifIytxpOsWuWVbymDbxWYyJmg-MWAB9X3DZFL7yq-oUP8XKaum9gKojYefqjdr-XfkP5V__1_u/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_oukiUtvrUAx7cAIU5pWt5-f68jvPlRFmiyZ6ZbkqnveDOTLTPi4xNP0hIXOQg_feBifIytxpOsWuWVbymDbxWYyJmg-MWAB9X3DZFL7yq-oUP8XKaum9gKojYefqjdr-XfkP5V__1_u/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG" /></a></div>
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Well that and, every time he does anything that seems to get more attention than usual, he just tries to do it over and over and over again.<br />
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He especially likes to do that with sneezing or coughing.<br />
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Okay, so maybe it's not such a fun thing when he starts throwing food on the floor and all the kids start telling him no. The attention simply means, more food on the floor.<br />
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In fact, I'm pretty sure that's banana stuck to my foot right now....<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-83478159043510659802014-09-26T10:53:00.000-07:002014-09-26T13:49:02.882-07:00Jack-Jack Attack!<br />
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"Jack-Jack" is Jackson's nickname.<br />
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My father started it.<br />
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I told everyone that if they called Jackson "Jack" they would end up on my blacklist.<br />
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But Jack-Jack was okay.<br />
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Because I'm the mom. Mom's are allowed to have weird quirks about their children's names.<br />
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Besides, if you've seen "The Incredibles", you can't help but think of the movie. The "Jack-Jack Attack" clip is just awesome.<br />
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And totally explains why my house is in ruins after we have a babysitter.<br />
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Just kidding.<br />
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It's just in ruins on a normal, day-day basis.<br />
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Especially when the little man is hungry.<br />
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He's working on the self-serve policy.<br />
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Can't you just see his thoughts?<br />
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<i>"Oh hey mom!"</i><br />
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<i>"So, I got kind of hungry and found these little babies."</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG21oCMVa6hJcwwLXtgTK9sc3JIKNq2pYVZ_y3B_cyWehyphenhyphen5DbjVAxXT2jgvG4TD6Exud39hXmqRnwFacF0Sbc2C-_iRcNrlKFFoW5q3y1iotx11JT-_XgGf87hwRjE1Adhq2w7jvgrYEpl/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG21oCMVa6hJcwwLXtgTK9sc3JIKNq2pYVZ_y3B_cyWehyphenhyphen5DbjVAxXT2jgvG4TD6Exud39hXmqRnwFacF0Sbc2C-_iRcNrlKFFoW5q3y1iotx11JT-_XgGf87hwRjE1Adhq2w7jvgrYEpl/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>"They tasted pretty good at first, but then I discovered something." </i></div>
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<i>"They are way more fun to just rip apart and throw on the floor. Here, let me show you!"</i><br />
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Yes, he's a regular comedian.<br />
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Love him.<br />
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So it was heart-wrenching when this little guy was crawling around outside one sunny afternoon while I was unloading groceries, and he decided to follow me into the house.<br />
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He climbed up to do battle with the metal threshold of our front door...<br />
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the threshold won.<br />
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<br />
I was so upset that he was so hurt and upset that Savannah kept trying to make me feel better!<br />
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It was so cute.<br />
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She tried to make me smile by asking about "grafatee-tee".<br />
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The day before she had been telling the boys all about "grafatee-tee" which she had learned about in a book she read.<br />
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Hubby and I had busted out into full-belly laughing.<br />
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She meant graffiti.<br />
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Anyway, Jack-Jack's hand is healing wonderfully and it doesn't bother him anymore so he's back to crawling around like a maniac.<br />
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We just keep it bandaged to stay clean while it heals.<br />
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On top of all that, Jackson has decided he likes the idea of walking.<br />
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<i>*sniffle*</i><br />
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So here are Jackson's first steps!<br />
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He's 10 months old. Not my earliest walker, but close.<br />
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<i>(On a side note, Savannah and I were messing around with the video clips and this was the result. Don't blame me! Savannah is a very touchy-feely person and wanted it to be "cute". I was trying to get "500 Miles" as the background music.)</i><br />
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(Sorry to those who tried to watch before. Video is fixed!)</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>
Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-1407236753758993822014-09-11T23:01:00.001-07:002014-09-12T10:32:46.854-07:00Giddy-Up Cowboy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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They say hind-sight can be a terrible thing.</div>
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But I can honestly say, sometimes it's an amazing thing.</div>
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It was at my cousin's surprise birthday party a few months ago where it first came up.</div>
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Horseback riding lessons.</div>
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One of my cousin's friends was talking about this wonderful lady they knew who gives lessons from her home. They raved about how great she was, how amazing she is with the kids, and how low her prices were. She gives lessons simply because she enjoys it so much.</div>
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Well sure lessons would be fun, sure the kids would love it. But you know, it's not something I ever really thought about so, cool info but meh, whatever.</div>
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But the more we dealt with Joseph's<a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/02/joseph-and-choreoathetosis.html"> chorea</a>, which made for one wickedly hard summer especially for him, the more I kept thinking about it.</div>
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Horeseback riding.</div>
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It just kept coming back to my mind! I kept thinking about how therapeutic it could be for Joseph. He doesn't always enjoying being around people, I think he gets embarrassed too easily.</div>
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I didn't know if he would like it or not, but it was worth a shot! </div>
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Hubby wasn't exactly keen on the idea, but I just couldn't shake it, especially when we decided to homeschool.</div>
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So I finally got her info and made a phone call. </div>
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We went out for an initial visit and all the kids just had a blast meeting and feeding all the horses. </div>
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But it was Joseph who I watched carefully.</div>
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His eyes lit up and a giant smile debuted on his little face. He couldn't get enough of the animals! Yet he seemed calm and content.</div>
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After so many tantrums, so many tears, it was like seeing a whole different kid.</div>
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I made up my mind then and there.</div>
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So the first week of school also brought with it Savannah and Joseph's first riding lesson.</div>
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So out we went. I couldn't wait to get some pictures!</div>
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Then my camera card was full.</div>
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Then the camera battery died.</div>
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Story of my life people.</div>
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So this week I made sure to go fully empty, charged, and prepared.</div>
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And... it was freezing cold and very windy.</div>
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But that didn't matter to Savannah and Joseph! No siree-bob. It's one of the only times I can think of that they didn't wimp out of something just because they were cold.</div>
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We found some cowboy boots earlier this week and I can say without the tinyist bit of exaggeration that those two literally wore them from the moment they woke up until the time they went to bed for three days straight. </div>
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Joseph looked awesome in his bright blue shorts, bright red shirt, and cowboy boots that first day.</div>
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Oh ya.</div>
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He even walked around saying <i>"howdy partnah"</i>, while Savannah insisted on wearing plaid.</div>
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Hope the cowboys don't mind the stereotyping. Haha!</div>
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So here we are in the freezing wind. Joseph leading out "his" pony: Little Red. </div>
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And up we go!<br />
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Working on balance.<br />
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Loving every second of it.</div>
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Seriously, I haven't seen this kid smile this much in a long, long time. He L.O.V.E.S. it.</div>
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Brushing Little Red down after a nice ride.</div>
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While Joseph rides, Savannah impatiently waits for her turn on "her" horse: Gayla.<br />
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She was pretty concerned the first time about how she was going to be able to get up on the "giant horse"</div>
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Good thing stairs were invented.</div>
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Up she goes!</div>
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Also working on balance exercises.<br />
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She too loves every minute of it.<br />
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I love that both Savannah and Joseph are doing it. They talk about the horses with each other all week long.<br />
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Since we go in the middle of the day, Alayna is home from half-day kindergarten so all the kids get to come expect Jacob, who is still in school.<br />
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So while the oldest kids ride, the younger ones get to enjoys the other animals.<br />
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Jackson was mad every time I set him in the back of the car to get out of the wind.</div>
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He preferred hanging out with his pal Bess.<br />
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It's the only time he will actually stay put! He'll happily play in one spot as long as Bess is with him. Otherwise I have to carry him or his exploring leads him to taste test everything.<br />
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And since rocks and horse poop all looks the same to him right now... needless to say he doesn't get the freedom he wants.<br />
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Sometimes it's easier to see the Lord's hand in your life when you look back at how things worked out, especially when you can finally see how all the pieces fit together.<br />
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I'm so grateful that Joseph has been watched over and cared for, even when things were at their worst.<br />
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Hind-sight.<br />
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It can be a wonderful thing.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-58393824539033203772014-09-03T10:11:00.000-07:002014-09-03T11:05:47.659-07:00First Day of School 2014 and Other Random Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rabid kittens.</div>
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If I could (lovingly) describe how my children have behaved the last couple weeks, it would have to be rabid kittens.</div>
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Why? Who knows. </div>
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I could put together a list of all the possible reasons why, but in the end it would still only result in rabid kittens.</div>
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So it was good that school started this week because it forced me to put myself back track.</div>
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Take command.</div>
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Set a routine.</div>
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Get rabies shots.</div>
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No wait....</div>
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Anyhow, yesterday was the first day of school for us.</div>
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Savannah (5th grade) and Joseph (3rd grade) are my two homeschoolers this year.</div>
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Oh, and Claira, who thinks she wants to do all the same math problems that Savannah and Joseph are doing.</div>
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I didn't know she understood Greek.</div>
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Joseph was exceptionally excited about the idea, until I came into his room at 6:30am that morning and woke him up along with everyone else.</div>
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He was under the <i>very</i> false impression that he would get to sleep in because he was being homeschooled.</div>
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MWAH HA HA HA! (laughed lovingly of course)</div>
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It will take us a bit to work out the bugs and figured out a good pace and schedule, but I think it will all work out.</div>
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After watching Joseph in action for just the first day, I have no doubt whatsoever that homeschooling was the right choice.</div>
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As for Jacob (2nd grade) and Alayna (Kindergarten), they were excited to head out the door!</div>
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Alayna is beyond thrilled that she "finally" gets to go to school.<br />
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In case you couldn't tell.<br />
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What is that big scab-looking thing on her face you ask? Funny you should notice such a gigantuous looking mark.<br />
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Here's what happened.<br />
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The kids were outside playing when Alayna starts screaming at the top of her lungs.<br />
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All my children have been, er... blessed *<i>eh hem</i>* with extremely robust local cords and strong lungs to pair them with.<br />
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With hand over cheek Alayna manages to scream out to me that she was stung by a wasp in her eye!<br />
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Obviously it wasn't<i> in</i> her eye, but close.<br />
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Dare I mention that I had crouched down in front of her and turned her head so I could see better? And that said screaming was done directly into my ear?<br />
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So don't think I am ignoring you. It's just that I can't hear anymore.<br />
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We immediately put on a insect bite/sting pain reliever pad from the first aid kit and I busted out my handy-dandy Melaleuca oil that I always put on the kids stings.<br />
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Yes she has been stung before and no, she is not allergic to anything mentioned above.<br />
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Yet this was the result.<br />
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Weird right? Upon closer inspection it almost looked like she had been stung twice, but I can't be sure.</div>
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The oddest thing is now that's it's been a few days, the discolored skin started to peel off, like a burn does!</div>
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In fact, by this morning she had about picked away all the discolored skin.</div>
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Strangest thing.</div>
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So now that we have veered far off the "first day of school" course, I might as well throw in a few adorable pictures of this trouble maker.</div>
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He's a crawling machine!<br />
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He tries to put everything into his mouth, including ants. (don't worry, no ants have been harmed... yet)<br />
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He's realized that standing up on his own is soooooo cool and has been trying to figure out how to move his feet after achieving that stance.<br />
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I made the mistake of mentioning to Savannah that Joseph was walking at nine months. Since Jackson is nine and a half months old she thinks he is lagging behind.<br />
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I have assured her that is not the case and he still has plenty of time.<br />
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Also, if she keeps up with her goal to make him walk before he's ten months, I will lock her away in the tallest tower and chain a dragon in front so that she will never escape!<br />
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She didn't seem too concerned.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-22423749648284094652014-08-20T00:30:00.000-07:002015-06-16T11:42:12.345-07:00Update on Joseph - Just When I Thought We Had It Figured Out<br />
I apologize for leaving everyone hanging with Joseph's situation. But I appreciate the comments from you asking for an update. It's nice to know that people are thinking about him.<br />
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Well let's see, there is much to tell so where to start... I guess from where we left off on his last update.<br />
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When Joseph was first diagnosed we were given a prescription for an anti-seizure medication called "Gabapentin" to help control the chorea. Unfortunately, after several weeks of slowly working our way up to the highest dose, it was clear that the medication wasn't working... at all.<br />
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Well, other than the side effect of fatigue. That seemed to be working just fine.<br />
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About three and a half weeks ago, we switched him over to a new medication called, "Depakote". We were told it would take 2-4 weeks before we started seeing any results from it.<br />
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The side effects for this would also be fatigue, but include increased appetite (which for Joseph is good), loss of vitamins and minerals in his system, and a possibility for complications with his kidneys... or liver... or both. I can't remember now.<br />
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But blood work will need to be done every month to make sure those organs aren't being effected.<br />
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As we weened him off one medication and started him on the other, Joseph was exceptionally moody and high strung. It wasn't until someone mentioned that perhaps it was the switching of the meds that was throwing him off that I even considered that could be what it was.<br />
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I haven't had enough experience with meds to have that thought cross my mind. But I really think that was the case. Now that we have adjusted, his mood has improved significantly.<br />
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But it was a really difficult couple of weeks, lots of tantrums and melt-downs, and Hubby was traveling for work.<br />
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Sometimes I felt so far out of my parenting league it seemed I didn't know which way was up and which was down.<br />
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About the time we switched his medication, we were also to start him on the never-ending round of antibiotics. We had decided to go with the shot every four weeks instead of taking daily doses of liquid.<br />
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I had the appointment all set up for his first shot when I was informed that the shot is quite painful. Not at all a quick or easy experience. The liquid is thick and goes in very slowly, also his arm would be very sore for a couple days afterwards.<br />
<br />
Well, I for one was getting nervous about it. Joseph was really struggling, we had just found out he had lost five pounds which on him was not good since he is so skinny anyway, and I really was concerned that this would all just be too much for him.<br />
<br />
That's when someone blessedly told me the penicillin comes in a pill form! When we talked to Joseph about the two options, he immediately jumped on the pill idea. He doesn't have a problem at all with needles and no matter how many times his blood gets drawn, he doesn't even flinch. But the idea of a painful shot was too much. Since he has to swallow his other medication, it has been no problem throwing in an extra pill.<br />
<br />
I'm sure at some point in the future we will re-visit the shot. But for now, this is his daily regiment.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Anti-seizure meds</li>
<li>Antibiotic</li>
<li>Probiotic</li>
<li>Multivitamin</li>
</ul>
<br />
It is a lot. But he does remarkably well with it and takes them all like a champ.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
About a week and a half ago I thought I started seeing a bit of improvement. But I almost didn't trust myself. I was nervous that perhaps I was just seeing what I wanted to see. <br />
<br />
But then others started commenting on how much better he was looking, that he wasn't quite so floppy and twitchy. Even his speech was starting to improve! Yay!<br />
<br />
<br />
Up till now we had only seen our regular pediatrician and the pediatric neurologist. Yesterday we finally met with a pediatric cardiologist to learn more about his heart.<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I should just know by now that every specialist will have new and/or different information than what we were told before.<br />
<br />
I was under the impression that we were trying to <i>avoid</i> rheumatic fever so that more damage wouldn't be caused to his heart. But according to the cardiologist, Joseph already <i>had</i> rheumatic fever and <i>that</i> is what caused the chorea and the leaking in his heart valves.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure if it's the other doctors that got that wrong or if I just wasn't understanding it right.<br />
<br />
But whatever result you got from having strep is what you'll get again if you catch strep again. If he does get it again, his heart valve would probably receive enough damage to need a valve transplant!<br />
<br />
So we were then informed that Joseph would need to be on penicillin until he TURNS FORTY YEARS OLD OR UNTIL HE ISN'T AROUND CHILDREN ANYMORE, which will probably be never. So basically he will be on antibiotics FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE!<br />
<br />
If I had a hard time swallowing the "until 21" bit, the whole "for the rest of his life" thing is rather mind-whirling for me.<br />
<br />
<i>*double deep sigh*</i><br />
<br />
We are suppose to meet with someone from "Infectious Diseases" at some point so we'll be asking them about this.<br />
<br />
Other than that his heart looks and sounds really good. But if he ever gets sick, especially with a sore throat, or if any of us get a sore throat, or if he is around anyone with a sore throat we will need to take him in to see the doctor and get a quick strep test.<br />
<br />
Every. Single. Time.<br />
<br />
The cardiologist also told us that there has been an epidemic in the mid-west since the 1980's that about ten percent of people who have strep don't even know they have it because there are no strep symptoms! This often leads to other very serious health issues.<br />
<br />
She said that millions of dollars have been dumped into research to find out what is causing this but they still have no idea why this is the case.<br />
<br />
Interesting.<br />
<br />
But if for some reason Joseph does catch strep again and shows no signs, we would eventually know because his chorea would come back.<br />
<br />
<br />
As of now we are still dealing with his chorea, it is still noticeable, but has indeed improved.<br />
<br />
It gets bad when he is tired, stressed, or upset.<br />
<br />
However the cardiologist said that besides the anti-seizure medication, steroids are usually used to help bring the inflammation down quickly, thus getting rid of the chorea faster.<br />
<br />
Well, this is the first time I've heard this! So she is going to look into that for us.<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
On that note, we had been debating whether or not to send him to school this year or if I should homeschool him.<br />
<br />
I had been waiting to see how much his chorea would improve before we decided. I had almost reached the decision that I would send him when we met with the cardiologist.<br />
<br />
She encouraged the idea of homeschooling because, despite the improvement, it will still be hard for him to hold still at all, let alone for long periods of time. Same goes for writing and holding a pencil.<br />
<br />
Plus will all the stress that would come with school, it would only make the chorea act up and as we all know, kids can be mean. I'm afraid he would get teased and picked on.<br />
<br />
Not to mention all those lovely colds and illnesses that he we would constantly be around.<br />
<br />
So, I guess I am homeschooling my oldest two this year. I think it will be easier to do the two instead of just Joseph. This way they have a "work" partner. Someone else who is doing school work and they can work together.<br />
<br />
Believe it or not, I don't mind the thought of homeschooling, though I do feel rather unprepared for it all.<br />
<br />
But I am thankful for the kindness of our Heavenly Father and others who have reached out and helped us through everything. And I know He will continue to help and be with us.<br />
<br />
It's all good. It is!<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i><br />
<br />
I can do this... right?<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-3450041813219678402014-07-30T15:19:00.001-07:002014-07-30T15:29:41.206-07:00Jackson's Tackling the World - An Update.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I know I haven't been writing much, but the truth is whenever I find myself with a spare moment I have spent those moments selfishly in the company of a good book.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Because reading is simple.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I like simple right now.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And air conditioning.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But I can't do anything about not having air conditioning so I'll just keep to the reading thing.</div>
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<br />
Jackson had his one-month helmet free check-up yesterday.<br />
<br />
The three-hour drive wasn't tolerated quite as well by Jackson as it use to be.<br />
<br />
You see, when he was wearing the helmet 23 hours a day he was a really calm, easy going fella. Then during his hour of freedom from it Jackson would turn into a bit of a wild child! Kickin' and wigglin', laughin' and playin' as though he had just received a chocolate bar!<br />
<br />
Oh wait, that's just my reaction to chocolate bars. Eh hem...<br />
<br />
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<br />
Anyhow, when we got the go-ahead to leave him out of the helmet, it wasn't but a couple days after that Jackson decided such freedom from restraint deserved celebration by crawling.<br />
<br />
Yes, this little man has been mobile for at least three weeks now.<br />
<br />
I took this video after he had been crawling for a little over a week.<br />
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Less than a week after discovering how much he enjoyed crawling, he tackled the art of pulling himself up into standing position with the aid of anything within his reach.<br />
<br />
He learned quickly that blankets hanging off the side of the couch didn't quite cut it.<br />
<br />
He is part-monkey.<br />
<br />
Gets it from his dad's side I'm sure. ;)<br />
<br />
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<br />
Just a couple days ago he about gave me a heart attack when, after leaving him downstairs to go up and answer the door, a few minutes into talking with a friend I look over my shoulder to see him nonchalantly standing at the top of the staircase.<br />
<br />
Monkey indeed.<br />
<br />
About a week after he started pulling himself up, he wanted to show us all what a big boy he was and let a couple teeth through.<br />
<br />
My shoulder has the marks to prove it.<br />
<br />
Someone please tell him to stop growing up so fast. I can't handle it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyhow, his appointments went great. His scans showed good overall head growth, although the front and back had grown a tad more than the sides, but the surgeon didn't seemed concerned.<br />
<br />
The blue line is the new scan.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
When Dr. Siddiqi picked him up, Jackson seemed to automatically settle into posing mode as though he and the doctor were getting ready to grace the cover a magazine.<br />
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<br />
Thanks Dr. Siddiqi! We appreciate you SO much!<br />
<br />
We have to go back and repeat the process when Jackson turns one, head scans and all. But so far everything looks great!<br />
<br />
<i>*big sigh of relief*</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Now, what book should I read next....<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-42609595865064794422014-07-14T07:32:00.002-07:002015-06-16T11:32:19.974-07:00Results of Joseph's Echocardiogram<br />
Remember in my last post when I had said that I finally saw a tiny bit of improvement in Joseph?<br />
<br />
I take it back.<br />
<br />
The next day everything was right back to the way it was and has not improved.<br />
<br />
But nor has it gotten worse.<br />
<br />
So I count that as a blessing.<br />
<br />
Joseph is dealing with it okay. We have good days and bad days. Occasionally, we have a really, <i>really</i> bad day. There are times his frustration is almost palpable.<br />
<br />
One day I found him laying in the hallway whimpering. When I asked him what was wrong, he struggled to get up but had such a hard time he simply slumped back down. Crouching down I asked him again what was wrong. He tried to say something but again was frustrated that it was hard to talk.<br />
<br />
I asked him if he hurt anywhere, he shook his head no. I asked if he was just frustrated because of how his body is behaving, he nodded.<br />
<br />
He doesn't talk much anymore and when he does I often have to guess at what he said or ask him to repeat himself.<br />
<br />
Yesterday morning when we got dressed for church, I noticed his pants were looser than before. He must be losing some weight because it is so difficult to eat. While he eats the meals I set out, he doesn't snack much so I do my best to supplement his meals with health shakes, green smoothies, etc.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
I suspect he may be losing a bit of muscle mass as well because it's too hard to be active. I need to take the kids to the swimming pool more often, that seems the easiest way for him to be active, in the water.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, now for the news on his echocardiogram.<br />
<br />
We went over to the hospital for the ultrasound on Wednesday. While we waited Joseph tried to get comfortable.<br />
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Tennis shoes are frustrating for him to put on so he prefers flip fliops, but they are very difficult for him to walk in right now, so he generally kicks them off as soon as he sits down anywhere.<br />
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We were finally moved into a room and got all set up. Joseph preferred silliness to smiles.<br />
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I'm not gonna lie. Watching the ultrasound of his heart was fascinating. Our human bodies really are quite remarkable.<br />
<br />
The ultrasound tech kept teasing him on how "ansty" he was and repeatably but kindly asked him to hold still. I had to explain everything to him so he understood why Joseph was having such a hard time holding still.<br />
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<br />
I asked the tech if he noticed anything off the cuff to give him cause for concern. He replied that he wasn't the expert, but nothing looked worrisome. Joseph did have what looked like some leaking in a couple of his valves, but nothing serious.<br />
<br />
I wasn't entirely sure what that would mean, but grateful the tech didn't feel the need to call anyone in for something serious.<br />
<br />
When he was done and Joseph sat up, the tech remarked on a large bruise that had formed on Joseph's back. I said that with his current condition, Joseph has been falling a lot.<br />
<br />
Sure enough as soon as we left the room, Joseph tripped over his feet, slammed into the wall and fell to the floor. He didn't say anything, just looked up at me while I helped him to his feet.<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i> I wish I new what he was thinking when those things happen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Friday I received the call with the results.<br />
<br />
The pediatric cardiologist who spoke to my pediatrician said that overall, Joseph's heart looked good.<br />
<br />
However, there is some "regurgitation" in his micro-valves. In other words, the blood that is being pumped back into the hearts from the body that gets pushed onto the lungs, those valves aren't closing all the way creating some "regurgitation" back into the body.<br />
<br />
In any normal, healthy body, this would not be a cause for concern at all and would not be odd if the condition were to stay and never cause any trouble<br />
<br />
However, is can also be a sign of early rheumatic fever.<br />
<br />
So in Joseph's case with the strep and choreathetosis, he will need to be watched and seen by a pediatric cardiologist, possibly for the next few years to make sure it doesn't progress and get worse. We'll see how it goes at our first appointment.<br />
<br />
So there you have it.<br />
<br />
The last bit of news I received about Joseph's future (although I had found out before the echo was done) threw me for a loop.<br />
<br />
I did not see this coming.<br />
<br />
When the neurologist first told me that after the initial ten days of antibiotics was finished we would do another round as a preventative measure, I figured that was that.<br />
<br />
Apparently that's not the whole of it.<br />
<br />
According to my doctor who spoke with specialists, Joseph will be on antibiotics for the next 10 - 13 YEARS.<br />
<br />
Yup, you read that correctly. YEARS.<br />
<br />
I distinctly remember sitting up from where I was laying on Claira's bed in the girls room, hiding from the noise of the kids while I talked on the phone, and with a lot of hand chopping movements for emphasis that no one could see (because apparently my hands get all expressive when I talk) told my doctor to, <i>"Wait wait wait wait, back up a minute. You started speaking to me Chinese just then. What did you just say? I'm pretty sure it used the words "antibiotics" and "years" mixed together in the same sentence."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Sure enough, Joseph can either drink the pink amoxcicillon twice a day for the next 10 to 13 years of his life, or he can get an injection once a month until he grows out of adolescence.<br />
<br />
Like I said.<br />
<br />
Did not see that one coming.<br />
<br />
Because the risk to his heart is too great now, we just need to eliminate the possibility that Joseph could catch strep again, especially if he doesn't exhibit normal signs of having it. And I guess strep doesn't usually build a resistance to antibiotics, so this is the route we have to take.<br />
<br />
It took a while for that to sink in and tell myself it's all okay. Besides, I know enough people, even a couple kids with conditions that require them to get shots almost daily.<br />
<br />
So really, once a month isn't so bad.<br />
<br />
I really feel humbled at the help people have offered, especially with Hubby away.<br />
<br />
For starters, people have actually said <i>yes</i> to watching my crazy brood when I've needed to take Joseph to doctor's appointments. Someone brought me dinner out of the blue, and my neighbor mowed my lawn for me.<br />
<br />
I've always had a hard time accepting help from others, in truth I feel foolish having to ask or be the one who needs help.<br />
<br />
So when I say I feel humbled, I mean it.<br />
<br />
And I deeply appreciate it.<br />
<br />
I really, really do.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-78866653681393765272014-07-07T22:57:00.001-07:002014-07-08T11:40:53.037-07:00Update on Joseph <br />
I have lots of fun stories and pictures to share from this past week, but I thought I had better give an update on Joseph first since I have had several people ask.<br />
<br />
Sorry but, I'm pretty long-winded in this post.<br />
<br />
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It's funny, despite everything that has been going on with us lately, between Jackson and now Joseph, I had been feeling a great deal of calm. I didn't feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Even when Hubby was put in the bishopric in our ward two Sundays ago everything felt, well... fine.<br />
<br />
You know what I mean?<br />
<br />
I should have known it was the calm before the storm, so to speak.<br />
<br />
That same Sunday I just referred to, Joseph had his first really bad day since all this craziness with him started. He was grouchy and upset, he wouldn't listen and kept having mini meltdowns.<br />
<br />
Monday was worse.<br />
<br />
Much worse.<br />
<br />
By Tuesday he seemed to have worked out his angry frustration and was more settled.<br />
<br />
That same Tuesday afternoon, I drove Hubby to the airport for a sixteen-day business trip.<br />
<br />
I took a deep breath... and drove home.<br />
<br />
When I got there it was as though Hubby had flown off with all that peace I had been feeling. The afternoon was a bit rocky with grouchy kids, and at bedtime I had to make a very conscious effort to keep my cool, to tell myself it's all okay, to relax and not get upset, to simply take care of the kids one at a time.<br />
<br />
With lots of mental pleading for strength and patience, we ended the day on a good note as I read to the kids, tucked them all in and kissed them goodnight.<br />
<br />
But I felt emotionally exhausted. I was worried about Joseph. The medication wasn't making any difference other than to make him even more tired, and I still didn't know for sure what was going on.<br />
<br />
Wednesday we had Alayna's last t-ball game and a wonderful neighbor invited my kids to spend the afternoon playing in the big pool in their back yard.<br />
<br />
For the whole afternoon I watched Joseph play in the pool for a few minutes, then climb out and lay down for a while. Then he would play in the sand box for a few minutes, then lie down on the ground for a while.<br />
<br />
Back and forth, back and forth.<br />
<br />
His speech was horrible, I could barely understand what he was saying and watching him you would have honestly thought he was a special needs child when just a matter of weeks ago he had been your typical healthy, awkward eight year old boy.<br />
<br />
By the time we got home the kids were starving and I desperately needed to go grocery shopping but didn't dare attempt it with six kids in tow, so food options were extremely limited.<br />
<br />
Pulling out their heaven sent (in my opinion) "kids eat free coupons" to an all you can eat pizza buffet, we loaded up and drove over.<br />
<br />
I watched Joseph put two pieces of pizza on his plate then turn to go, but because of how jerky and crazy his movements were, they promptly slide off his plate onto the floor.<br />
<br />
He immediately slumped to the ground and hung his head in utter defeat when I told him not to pick them up.<br />
<br />
There was a long line of people behind us so I quickly helped him up and told him I would carry his plate since those sneaky things were just so dang slippery! He smiled and as I balanced four of the kids plates in my hands, we managed to make it back to our seats without further incident.<br />
<br />
I could see people watching him. I could see some of their assumptions about him, and there was nothing I could do about it.<br />
<br />
The kids did decent enough but as their bellies became full, their craziness level also kicked up so I knew I needed to get out of there, fast!<br />
<br />
As we walked out of our end booth past several others, I heard a voice say, <i>"You're a good mom." </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I glanced up to see a lady looking right at me.<br />
<br />
I quickly looked around and over my shoulder to see who she was talking to. It honestly took me a second to realize she was talking to me because she went on to say how impressed she was at how good my children behaved and how polite and quiet we all were.<br />
<br />
As tempting as it was to let her know she was talking about the wrong family, I was also deeply touched and grateful for her kind words.<br />
<br />
Always, always say kind things. Always.<br />
<br />
At the car Joseph tried to climb in. And try as he might he could not get a good grip or foothold because of his spasms and kept slipping out.<br />
<br />
Finally he stepped back, folded his arms around his slim body with his head down and made a small whimper.<br />
<br />
It broke my heart. He seemed to be getting worse, not better.<br />
<br />
We got home and I put everyone to bed. As soon as I had said my last <i>"goodnight, I love you"</i> I practically ran outside and promptly started sobbing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Heavy.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
I can't think of any other way to describe it.<br />
<br />
Everything just felt so very... heavy.<br />
<br />
I couldn't fix anything. I couldn't change what was happening to Joseph and my other half was out of the country.<br />
<br />
All I could do was pray.<br />
<br />
I ended up having a long conversation with Hubby through our tablets that night and by the time we were done he had managed to make me feel better.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
The next morning, right at 8:00am I called the pediatric neurologist about four times in a row with no answer so I finally just left a message.<br />
<br />
I then called my pediatrician but he was out of the office for the holiday weekend, so was the other pediatrician I asked for.<br />
<br />
Being the sophisticated and well put together lady that I am, I started crying again and found myself hanging up on the receptionist as she kept asking me if I wanted to schedule an appointment because I couldn't say anything without hyperventilating.<br />
<br />
Collecting myself, I called the lab where Joseph's blood work was done to see if it was finished.<br />
<br />
I was told that all the results were back expect for two panels that they send out to California because they are so extensive.<br />
<br />
Thinking that this meant I wouldn't know anything until after the holiday weekend, I very gracefully <i>*eye roll*</i> fell apart on the phone and started crying... again.<br />
<br />
The sweet lady said she would call to see what was going on with those labs and get back to me.<br />
<br />
The manager called me back about an hour later to say that the panels are on time and they take two weeks to get results.<br />
<br />
Now I just felt sucker punched because I was told we'd get results back in a week.<br />
<br />
Realizing there was nothing I could do, I packed all our stuff and drove up to my parents house half an hour away to spend a couple days for the holiday.<br />
<br />
Now, I don't know if it was because I was a crazy-lady basket case on the phone so they sent over the results they did have to the neurologist, or if he called over to get the results because he's done this before and knew the info he needed would be ready, but maybe... twenty minutes after I arrived I got a phone call from the neurologist.<br />
<br />
He had the results from the blood work.<br />
<br />
Joseph's anti-bodies were very high and he did indeed test positive for strep and that is for sure what's causing the choreoathetosis. So he apparently had caught it several months ago but since he hadn't exhibited any signs, no one knew.<br />
<br />
Guess how I handled the news?<br />
<br />
I started crying.<br />
<br />
Because apparently that's how I deal with everything these days.<br />
<br />
There are many different types and strands of strep, some are just evil and don't show themselves.<br />
<br />
The doctor said he would call in the antibiotics that Joseph would need. After ten days on that, we will do another round as a preventative measure.<br />
<br />
According to the doctor, <i>sometimes </i>by the end of the first round of antibiotics, many of the symptoms will go away. We also upped the dose of the anti-seizure medication Joseph is taking since the lowest dose wasn't doing anything.<br />
<br />
Joseph will also be getting an echo cardiogram of his heart to make sure the strep hasn't attacked his valves. If everything looks good, everything should return to normal within six months. Hopefully shorter but sometimes it takes that long.<br />
<br />
If there is damage, the Joseph could potentially be on medication for months to years depending on how things looks.<br />
<br />
Right now we are just praying for no damage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After the fourth of July insanity, Sunday morning dawned with Joseph in a really bad mood.<br />
<br />
Getting to church was brutal and sitting through the first meeting was even worse. As I struggled with Joseph many wonderful members jumped in to lend a hand with the other kids.<br />
<br />
Not knowing what to do with him I was pleading for inspiration on what I could do to calm him down.<br />
<br />
The thought came into my mind to massage his hands.<br />
<br />
Okay then.<br />
<br />
At first he was so mad he didn't want me to touch him, but eventually when he realized what I was doing and that he liked it, he calmed right now and snuggled up to me for the rest of the meeting as I just massaged his hands, arms, and back.<br />
<br />
As soon as the meeting was over, our wonderful Bishop came right off the stand and told me to come to his office. He wanted to give Joseph and I blessings.<br />
<br />
They were amazing.<br />
<br />
I know Joseph will be okay. I do, I KNOW it.<br />
<br />
But I also know that the next several weeks won't be easy.<br />
<br />
The hardest part has been to see the judgement in people's faces as they watch him. Because the medication causes so much fatigue, he is constantly slumping to the floor. I had to keep reminding him that he couldn't just flop down and lay in the middle of the hallway. At least sit up against the wall!<br />
<br />
The thing is, Joseph has a track record of being difficult, of throwing big tantrums and not listening. So sometimes it is hard to know how much is just him and how much is his situation.<br />
<br />
But seeing people's assumptions about him during this rough time has been hard because they have no clue what's going on.<br />
<br />
I now have a real sense of empathy for parents with kids who look perfectly normal on the outside, but have special needs on the inside.<br />
<br />
Never again will I jump to conclusions.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>*sigh*</i> Our family is single-handedly making the doctors around here experts on all things "extremely rare".<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
Today was the first day I have seen any improvement in Joseph.<br />
<br />
His speech was just a smidge clearer, his movements just a bit less jerky.<br />
<br />
So hopefully with both medications we will see some improvements soon.<br />
<br />
In the meantime I am doing what a can to help him and his little body by doing a major overhaul in our family diet lifestyle. Let's just say no more mac n' cheese. We are heading for the all natural road.<br />
<br />
Heaven help me, especially since I don't love cooking.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us.<br />
<br />
As long as the house doesn't burn down and no one breaks a bone, we should be good.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, assuming the fever Claira had this afternoon goes away tomorrow....<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3411626042871756090.post-54329761586584334572014-06-26T13:25:00.002-07:002015-06-16T11:25:56.586-07:00Joseph's Condition ~ Choreoathetosis<b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Choreoathetosis</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> is the occurrence of involuntary movements in a combination of </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorea_(disease)" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Chorea (disease)">chorea</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> (irregular migrating contractions) and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athetosis" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Athetosis">athetosis</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> (twisting and writhing). ~Wikipedia</span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Ever since school finished up for the year, I noticed a change in Joseph that slowly, but surely was growing progressively worse.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">At first I thought he had simply developed several new ticks, which kids often do at his age. Or perhaps it was due to the change in daily routine. He struggles with change.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">He's always been a bit antsy and fidgety, but I started noticing that the fidgeting was getting worse and he was constantly twitching and jerking. This soon became most noticeable in his face and mouth. Recently it started affecting his speech, which was becoming slurred and hard to understand. Over the last few days he hasn't talked much at all.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Running, bike riding, and even walking seemed to be more challenging for him and soon I found that he spent much of the day simply laying on the floor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Monday afternoon, I called my pediatrician's office to set up an appointment for Joseph. I was worried at how long it would take to get an appointment, but they told me my doctor had just had a cancellation for the next day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Tuesday we had <a href="http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/alaynas-surgery-links.html">Jackson's appointments</a> in Salt Lake and we took Joseph with us. It worked out that as soon as we got back into town, we drove straight over to his appointment, barely making it on time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span>
After that visit, our pediatrician guessed at what it was (and he was correct), but wanted to defer to the pediatric neurologist.<br />
<br />
My pediatrician called right away and talked to the neurologist. He said that after a referral is made, it takes 4-6 weeks to get an appointment, but the neurologist would stay late on Friday to see Joseph.<br />
<br />
I called the office to confirm the appointment and was told that they could actually get Joseph in the next day, on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
Wednesday afternoon we arrived for our appointment. An hour later we met with the neurologist. After many questions and a thorough exam, he told us that Joseph has Choreoathetosis.<br />
<br />
He doctor didn't seem overly concerned and I was just happy that it didn't appear to be a brain tumor or something.<br />
<br />
I tend to think worst case scenario.<br />
<br />
So now we know what it is, but we still don't know for sure what is causing it.<br />
<br />
The doctor asked if Joseph had had strep recently. I told him no. In fact, the only time Joseph has been sick the whole winter was a few months ago when he caught a minor cold/cough.<br />
<br />
He said that based on Joseph's symptoms, or lack thereof, he's feels almost sure that Joseph probably had step, but didn't exhibit any strep symptoms (apparently strep can be naughty like that) and <i>sometimes </i>when strep goes untreated with antibiotics, the antibodies the body creates to fight the strep will also continue on to attack other parts of the body, such as liver, kidneys, etc.<br />
<br />
In Joseph's case, they are attacking his entire nervous system.<br />
<br />
Symptoms for this take a couple months to start showing, so I suppose it seems the most likely scenario.<br />
<br />
We won't know for sure until all of Joseph's blood work comes back, which takes about a week, but they think that's what it is.<br />
<br />
If it's not then they will do more blood tests in search of another cause, such as a thyroid problem, and only if all of that comes back negative would they do an MRI.<br />
<br />
But he's pretty sure it's Sydenham's Chorea (strep based).<br />
<br />
One big concern if it is the strep, that untreated it can cause arrhythmic fever and attack his heart valves. So if the blood work does come back positive, then we will need to do a echocardiogram to make sure his heart is okay.<br />
<br />
As of right now, they started him on anti-seizure medication that will help control the twitching and writhing. He'll be on that for three to six months.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Poor kid, I can't imagine how frustrating that must be to have a hard time doing something as simple as talking. But he has been amazing through it all, he really has.<br />
<br />
No complaining or whining, he didn't flinch when they drew his blood this morning. He even did pretty well at his baseball game last night, even though you could tell he was struggling a bit.<br />
<br />
So I guess right now we just have to wait for the blood results then move forward from there.<br />
<br />
We had to take a video of him doing certain things so in a month we can see how he is improving.<br />
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He can't hold out his arms and hands without his fingers reflexively curling as though he were playing a piano, he can't even hold out his tongue without it involuntarily pulling in and out.<br />
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Still, I am relieved that we know what it is and can at least start treating it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqprQbPkKQ04-o1lhiDOyhXaC6WLtGvoQDS0S6h80CIp69xgaMoIfa8_59wLs2qCIQ1DudU8hAYavmkOhpKjUZByPvzqSJvTNwOXNKEUgvRp2aEGZcZlbZrkuHUxEBaAmsuUletDsg1vK/s1600/DSC_1565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqprQbPkKQ04-o1lhiDOyhXaC6WLtGvoQDS0S6h80CIp69xgaMoIfa8_59wLs2qCIQ1DudU8hAYavmkOhpKjUZByPvzqSJvTNwOXNKEUgvRp2aEGZcZlbZrkuHUxEBaAmsuUletDsg1vK/s1600/DSC_1565.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
Thank you yet again for those of you who prayed for us.<br />
<br />
The way everything worked out so quickly and all the appointments lined up so amazingly, I know the Lord was looking out for Joseph.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/46/860D6E181755D632C959BB6B840759B3.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Serene is my name, not my life!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02181359150279923307noreply@blogger.com5